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Sport Nation
The Live Sport Bible is here!Tony Brown to return to NZ as All Blacks assistant coach after World Cup
Sport Nation • June 8th, 2026 7:07 am
Springboks assistant coach Tony Brown | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
New Zealand Rugby has confirmed the appointment of Tony Brown as an All Blacks assistant coach from 2028 on a two-year contract.
Brown, who is currently an assistant coach with South Africa, is off contract following the 2027 Rugby World Cup and will return home to join the All Blacks setup.
NZR CEO Steve Lancaster said Brown's appointment was focused on bringing top coaching talent back to New Zealand.
“Tony is a world-class coach who is highly regarded and consistently sought after by head coaches and teams around the world," he said in a statement.
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“We know Tony is available after the 2027 Rugby World Cup and he’s made it clear he would love to be part of the All Blacks. This decision is simple, it’s about ensuring the best coaches return to New Zealand.
"It’s for the All Blacks Head Coach to shape the structure and portfolios of their coaching team and we have every confidence that Tony is a high-quality addition when he joins in 2028."
The appointment was led by incoming NZR High Performance Director Don Tricker, who starts in the role full-time in November 2026.
Lancaster said current All Blacks coach Dave Rennie was involved in the process and supportive of the move.
“For now, Dave and his coaching team are absolutely focused on what’s in front of them and we look forward to challenging ourselves against Tony and the Springboks in the coming months.”
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