He made the fascinating admission in an interview with Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB this morning.
Brown has been the subject of much speculation since Robertson’s dumping but has said he is not in the running to join a new All Blacks coaching team, possibly under Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph, as he is committed to staying with the Springboks until after the World Cup.
The dismissal of Robertson and the subsequent developments were ‘‘pretty bizarre’’, Brown said.
‘‘You know, the timing around what’s happened and no sort of plan going forward and my name getting thrown in there plenty,’’ Brown told Newstalk ZB.
‘‘But no-one’s really talked to me, so I’ve always just been going back to South Africa to finish my contract.
‘‘I’ve even talked to Razor a couple of months ago about potentially joining the All Blacks, but it’s like I said to him: my commitment to South Africa was four years and I’ve always wanted to honour that.’’
Brown confirmed he was eager to form part of an All Blacks coaching team when New Zealand Rugby decided to look for a fresh approach near the end of the Ian Foster era.
He was ‘‘so frustrated’’ that nobody talked to him about joining the All Blacks two years ago.
“It was definitely Scott Robertson’s team versus Jamie Joseph’s team . . . the process that New Zealand Rugby set up.
‘‘I think with me being with Jamie, Scott potentially didn’t want to take me as well. He had quality coaches in Jason Holland and Leon MacDonald, Scott Hansen with him and Jason Ryan, so they had a strong coaching team.
‘‘Jamie put his team together and I was part of that and New Zealand Rugby went with Scott.
Which, you know, 100% he probably deserved the job with his success.’’
Brown said he considered at that time going back to coach in Japan, and there might have been an opportunity in Argentina.
A call from Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus changed everything.
‘‘I played under Rassie for the Stormers and knew him as a coach.
‘I knew that he’d obviously done some amazing things with South Africa over the last two World Cups and I just thought, oh well, what an opportunity to go and learn off him.”
Brown did not expect Robertson to get the boot and felt the All Blacks were tracking reasonably well.
He confirmed he would have been interested in an All Blacks role had he not been with the Springboks.
“Two years ago as well, and in the future, it’s definitely something I want to do. Just timing hasn’t worked. My commitment to South Africa was four years and I’ve always had the plan to honour that commitment.’’
