Brown was appointed the next Otago coach on Monday, taking over from his brother Tony, and will return to Dunedin next month after more than a decade overseas playing and coaching rugby.
Brown spoke to the Otago Daily Times yesterday from Ireland and said he was rapt to get the job and was excited to be coming home.
''I am really looking forward to it. It is going to be hard work and a challenge but I am up for that,'' Brown said.
''When I saw it advertised I certainly had no hesitation in applying for it ... I want Otago to be up there as one of the best provinces in the country.
"But that takes hard work. There is no substitute for that.''
Brown (38) had not talked to his brother much about replacing him or prospective players, but would be keen to get his ear over the next couple of months.
He would look at prospective Otago players with a clean slate, saying he could not rely on what other people thought.
''If someone tells me something about a player, then that is their opinion, not mine. The guys look like they are in a bit of a rebuilding phase.
"They had a bit of trouble almost going bankrupt, but they managed to survive and have had some success under Tony, winning the Ranfurly Shield and making the playoffs.
''You just want to develop players. Make them better rugby players who are playing consistently better. If you can get the players performing better, then results will go your way. But that is easier said than done.''
Brown, who has signed a three-year deal, said he was not a ranter and raver as a coach, although sometimes that was needed.
''I'm quite open to let other guys have their say and come up with decisions together. But it's not about the coach. It's about the players and the team and playing as well as they can.''
Part of his new role would be coaching coaches, which he said was part of his role at the moment.
''I like to have good relationships with coaches, as that is where your next players are coming from.''
He had been quietly confident he would get the job and he felt his interview had gone well.
Brown left Dunedin in early 2004 and went to France initially.
He played for a Paris University team for a season and then picked up a two-year deal to play for French second-division club side Tarbes.
He damaged his knee while at Tarbes, the first of three serious knee injuries.
He then moved to Italy and played for the Leonessa club and helped coach the side.
The former Harbour halfback took his first serious steps into coaching when he was player-coach for Irish club side Galwegians and he slowly worked his way up the ranks.
He was now working in elite player development for the Connacht side, one of four fully professional Irish sides.
Brown and wife Carla have three children: Louis (7), Delilah (6) and Elodie (3).
All three had been born overseas but were keen to get back to New Zealand and see the family, Brown said.
They would be back in Dunedin about the middle of next month.
