Brown is currently coaching South Africa and is off contract at the conclusion of the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027.
NZR CEO Steve Lancaster said:
“Tony is a world-class coach who is highly regarded and consistently sought after by head coaches and teams around the world.
“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 decision to appoint Brown was led by incoming NZR High Performance Director Don Tricker. Tricker starts his role full-time in November 2026.
All Blacks Head Coach Dave Rennie was engaged throughout the process and is supportive of the appointment.
Lancaster added:
“One of Don’s roles is to lead the appointments of our national team coaches. As part of that we have agreed with Dave we will discuss the process for the All Blacks Head Coach role no later than the conclusion of the 2027 Rugby Championship.
“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.”
