Nick Mallett lays out Tony Brown commitment expectations to the Springboks ahead of All Blacks switch
Ex-Springboks head coach (inset) Nick Mallett and Boks attack coach Tony Brown.
Nick Mallett is not concerned that Springboks assistant coach Tony Brown’s commitment to the world champions’ cause will waver before he joins the All Blacks.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) confirmed last Sunday that Brown will join the All Blacks’ backroom staff from 2028 on a two-year contract.
He is currently employed as the Springboks’ attack coach and is off contract at the conclusion of the team’s Rugby World Cup 2027 campaign in Australia.
One of the world’s best attack coaches
The 51-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best attack coaches in the world, and his acquisition is viewed as a major coup for NZR.
With South Africa and New Zealand being arch rivals, the timing of NZR’s announcement regarding Brown‘s decision to join the All Blacks, who he represented as a fly-half in 18 Tests between 1999 and 2001, has been questioned in some quarters, particularly how it will affect his commitment to the Springboks over the next two years.
Mallett, who was the Boks’ head coach from 1997 to 2000, has first-hand experience of coaching against his home nation as he also had a stint as Italy boss from 2007 to 2011 and expects Brown to remain committed to his duties with the world champions before making the switch to the All Blacks.
“Well, Tony Brown’s a fantastic coach. He really is a wonderful coach,” he told the Talking Boks podcast with Brenden Nel. “He’s turned the All Blacks down twice because he didn’t feel the opportunity was right for him at that moment.
“But he’s committed to the Springboks until 2027. And I can tell you, having coached overseas, I coached Italy, having coached South Africa. I coached Italy against South Africa on a few occasions, in fact.
“And you give 100% to the team that you’re coaching. The professional nature of professional sport is that you want to do the very best with the group that you have. And obviously, your country where you came from is critical to you.
“And it’s your biggest love. But when you’re coaching overseas and you’re coaching another national side, the worst thing is to lose by 50, 60, 70 points. The Springboks smash Italy, and you’re coaching Italy.
“So I think Tony Brown is going to commit 100% to South Africa.”
Boks and All Blacks on collision course at 2027 World Cup
There is a potential twist in Brown’s situation as the Boks and All Blacks are on a collision course at next year’s World Cup. They are likely to face each other in the quarter-finals of the global showpiece if both finish top of their respective pools.
Despite that prospective scenario, Mallett expects Brown to be as professional as ever if that situation becomes a reality.
“If we go into a quarter-final in that World Cup in 2027, there won’t be one iota of his rugby knowledge that he’s not passing onto the Boks, that he’s not trying to make sure that he can contribute as much as possible to us winning that quarter-final against New Zealand,” he said.
“It’s just part of being a professional sportsman.”
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
Mallett is not surprised that Brown will be heading to New Zealand after his time in South Africa and believes his stint with the Boks has been beneficial for both parties.
“Remember, his family’s over there. He’s learned a lot. I think we’ve learned a lot from him, but he’s probably learned a lot from Rassie and the set-up with the Springboks,” he added.
“And when he goes back in 2028, he’s going to be very valuable to New Zealand. So, I think the early announcement is a good thing, because it’s out of the way now. Now he can just get ahead.
“We know he’s not going to be signed up post-2027, the World Cup. And we know we’re going to be looking for another attack coach at that point. But I guarantee you, Tony Brown will give 100% to the Springboks throughout the time that he coaches them.”
READ MORE: Justin Marshall reveals why Tony Brown’s switch from Springboks to All Blacks caught him by surprise