Page Not Worried About Springboks Losing Brown To New Zealand
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Former Springbok scrumhalf Rudy Page says he is not concerned about the possibility of South Africa losing assistant coach Tony Brown to New Zealand.
New Zealand Rugby is currently without a head coach after Scott Robertson was dismissed a few days ago following a review by the All Blacks management team into last season’s performances.
Robertson was midway through a four-year contract at the time of his departure.
Jamie Joseph is widely viewed as the frontrunner to lead the All Blacks into the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, and he has previously enjoyed a close working relationship with Brown.
Brown and Joseph enjoyed considerable success together, winning the 2015 Super Rugby title with the Highlanders before later taking charge of Japan. Joseph served as head coach, with Brown acting as attack and assistant coach.
Japan enjoyed a memorable run at the 2019 Rugby World Cup on home soil, including a famous pool-stage victory over Ireland, before losing 26–3 to the Springboks in a compelling quarter-final.
According to Rapport, Brown has a watertight contract with the Springboks that runs until after the 2027 World Cup. New Zealand Rugby would reportedly need to pay a transfer fee worth millions of rands to secure his release before then.
“Personally, I’m not concerned,” Page told Sportswire.
“The fact that there are so many rumours around Tony actually tells me that we are in good hands with Rassie Erasmus as head coach and leader of the national team.
“We have an assistant coach who is in such high demand, and that shows how good things are. We have the best team in the world, and other nations want our coaches.
“Our coaches and our players are the best in the world, so for me, there’s no concern at all.
“It happens in sport that teams go after the best players, and the same applies to coaches.”
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus also appeared to ease concerns recently with a cryptic post on X, attaching a video featuring Brown and seemingly confirming that the assistant coach is not leaving.
Brown, a former flyhalf for the Highlanders and the All Blacks, also had spells with the Sharks and Stormers in Super Rugby towards the latter stages of his playing career. He joined the Springbok coaching setup in 2024.
Since his arrival, the Springboks have won the Rugby Championship twice in succession, finishing ahead of New Zealand on both occasions and retaining the Freedom Cup last year.
Page, who scored his first Springbok try against France at Ellis Park, believes clarity will come once New Zealand appoint their next head coach.
“I believe Rassie has done enough to put everyone at ease,” said Page.
“Until Jamie Joseph is officially confirmed as the New Zealand head coach, it’s a different situation. But I’m really not concerned, and as a rugby man, I trust that SA Rugby and Tony will handle it appropriately.
“They’ve maintained transparency in the Springbok setup over the past decade, ensuring that everyone feels part of the team.
“It might feel strange with all the rumours, but I’m confident they’ll get it right.”
