Former All Blacks scrumhalf Justin Marshall said he was surprised by Tony Brown’s decision to leave the Springboks coaching setup and return to New Zealand. New Zealand Rugby announced on Monday that Brown has signed a two-year deal to join the All Blacks coaching staff from 2028. Brown, a former All Blacks flyhalf, is currently the Springboks’ attack coach and has been an important part of Rassie Erasmus’ team since joining in 2024.
Brown’s influence has coincided with a major improvement in South Africa’s attacking play. Since his arrival, the Springboks have won back-to-back Rugby Championship titles and completed successive unbeaten end-of-year tours, strengthening their reputation as the world champions. Erasmus has previously said he hoped Brown would stay involved beyond the 2027 Rugby World Cup, but Brown has long been open about his ambition to coach in his home country.
Marshall discussed the move on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, saying the announcement caught him off guard because Brown appears to be enjoying his role in South Africa. He said Brown had told him that coaching under Erasmus has been a positive experience and that the Bok boss gives him freedom to be himself in the job.
Marshall also said Brown’s comments suggested a strong working relationship within the Springboks environment. He noted that while Erasmus may appear difficult to work with from the outside, Brown’s experience has been the opposite. According to Marshall, a healthy coaching environment is important for getting the best out of everyone involved, and Brown seemed to have found that in South Africa.
The former scrumhalf added that Brown’s desire to move on is surprising given how content he seems in his current role. The move marks a significant coaching development for New Zealand Rugby, while also raising questions about how long South Africa can keep one of the key architects of their recent attacking evolution.
