All Blacks 2026
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Google Gemini Opinion on Tony Brown situation.
In the absence of a specific non-compete clause, preventing a coach like Tony Brown from joining a rival team is significantly harder, but not impossible. In the high-stakes world of international rugby, "prevention" usually takes the form of financial and procedural barriers rather than a flat legal ban.
If Tony Brown wanted to leave the Springboks for the All Blacks today, SA Rugby (SARU) could utilize the following mechanisms to block or delay him:
- The "Garden Leave" Provision
This is the most common tool used in professional rugby. Even without a non-compete, most elite contracts include a notice period (often 6 to 12 months).
How it works: If Brown resigns, SARU can insist he serves his full notice period but "sit him out."
The Result: He remains an employee of SARU, receives his salary, but is legally barred from starting work with New Zealand. This would effectively keep him "out of the game" during critical windows, such as the 2026 Rugby Championship.
- Liquidated Damages (The Buyout)
Rather than a non-compete, many coaching contracts use Liquidated Damage clauses.
The Penalty: These clauses state that if a coach leaves early for a "lateral move" (i.e., another assistant role), they (or their new employer) must pay a massive lump sum—sometimes equal to the remaining value of the contract.
The Deterrent: For Tony Brown, who recently extended his contract to 2031, this buyout could be in the millions. If NZ Rugby cannot or will not pay it, Brown is effectively "stuck" unless he pays it himself.
- Intellectual Property & NDAs
Brown is currently the architect of the Springboks' new "attacking DNA."
Confidentiality: SARU could seek an injunction if they can prove that his immediate move to a rival would result in the "inevitable disclosure" of proprietary strategies, data, and player-specific scouting that belongs to SA Rugby.
The "Gardening" compromise: Often, unions will reach a settlement where the coach is allowed to leave, but only after a certain date (e.g., after the next New Zealand vs. South Africa series) to ensure the "intellectual property" he carries is no longer "live" or immediate.
- Specific Performance & Negative Injunctions
While a court won't force a human being to coach a team they don't want to coach (this is "specific performance" and is generally illegal), they can issue a negative injunction.
This prevents a person from performing "unique services" for anyone else for the duration of their existing contract. Because Brown’s coaching ability is considered "unique," SARU could argue that they cannot simply "hire another Tony Brown," and therefore he should be barred from providing those unique services to a competitor until 2027 or beyond.
The Reality: The "Gentleman's Agreement"
In New Zealand and South African rugby culture, these battles are often settled behind closed doors. If a coach's heart is no longer in the job, Rassie Erasmus has historically been pragmatic. He famously said he wouldn't want someone in the camp who didn't want to be there.The likely "middle ground" would be:
NZ Rugby pays a significant fee to SARU.
A "Cooling Off" period is agreed upon where Brown cannot coach against the Springboks for the first year.
Would you like me to look into whether any specific "All Black out-clauses" have been confirmed in recent South African media reports?
- The "Garden Leave" Provision
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@SouthernMann said in All Blacks 2026:
Enployment law issues across different nations makes this interesting.
Courts, even in near-failed states, are loathe to hold people to specific performance when it comes to employment.
Typically when someone no longer wants to work somewhere and they're going to a competitor, there's stand down periods etc.
If Brown wants to be an All Black coach, there's not much SA can do about it. What would be most likely is he couldn't join until after the tour.
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@Cyclops said in All Blacks 2026:
It still feels like a massive longshot that he ever gets the gig again though.
Won't happen. His supposed strengths are the very reason he got booted. This wasn't a case of not having unfamiliar skills - it's a complete grotesque failure of the very thing he was supposed to be best at.
It really puts into perspective the success the Crusaders setup has had .
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Given what we’ve learned, I think it’s important to look back on individual player performances the last 2 years and not be too critical…. as we were in real time.
Yes, the sand has run through the hourglass for half a dozen of them and they should move on. But for the younger ones, and those with plenty in the tank - If these guys were struggling in a dysfunctional culture, clashes over tactics and concerns about their team-mates then it’s bound to be reflected in their performance.
On the other hand, the fact that they achieved some decent results despite this bodes well.
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Cyclops said in All Blacks 2026:
It still feels like a massive longshot that he ever gets the gig again though.
Won't happen. His supposed strengths are the very reason he got booted. This wasn't a case of not having unfamiliar skills - it's a complete grotesque failure of the very thing he was supposed to be best at.
It really puts into perspective the success the Crusaders setup has had .
The much maligned Rob Penney took them to a title with Rivez Reihana playing 10.
I don't actually mind Rob Penney either. He'd probably be more prepared than Razor if he got a go as ABs coach in a weird sort of way (obviously he won't).
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@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Cyclops said in All Blacks 2026:
It still feels like a massive longshot that he ever gets the gig again though.
Won't happen. His supposed strengths are the very reason he got booted. This wasn't a case of not having unfamiliar skills - it's a complete grotesque failure of the very thing he was supposed to be best at.
It really puts into perspective the success the Crusaders setup has had .
Know it's unfair, but I have this nagging feeling NZR were conned.
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Yeah in the end it wasn't the results or the player discontent that did him in . . . it was the "trajectory."
Goin forward I thought it was lookin very shitty, and obviously Kirk did too.
It may still be shitty goin forward; but there is a better chance of changing that shitty lookin "trajectory" with a new leadership team.Sacking a HC mid-term is a bit of a jolt, and hopefilly It will get rid of some of that smug complacency that has permeated NZR HQ for the last few years, as well.
If using speed and skill was the basic strategy, I actually agree with that.
Would have been realatively straight-forward in the 80's 90s 00s 10s . . . but it's a bit different now.
The other teams are now well prepared to face that type of game, and can even play that way themselves a bit.
Still not as good as we can imo.
But you have to have some flexibility; plans B and C; and be able to adjust during an actual game; and take care of the basics. -
Yeah frustrating, but a bit of a tip of the hat to TSF.
Lurked here myself for decades (just for a read).
Starting to feel the TSF has secured for itself not only a leading position as a story breaker; but may also be starting to indirectly lead opinion as well.
The slower media seem to have acted with surprise at this weeks events; but no TSF regular would have been. -
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@Nepia said in All Blacks 2026:
Wait what? Were you not in NZ at the time? They were a clusterfuck off the field. There's a number of player books from that era that provide examples. There was cliques and factions all over the place which was one of the first things the new coaches had to fix in 2004.
Yeah the likes of Mark Shaw. He was a complete DH at that time.
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@mohikamo It’s a real credit to the sleuthing skills in this group. Once we caught a whiff that something was there, everyone tapped into their own networks to piece the puzzle together. I think the critical mass of connections we have here is quite unrivaled.
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@kev said in All Blacks 2026:
Be interested to see what a Kirk led board will do with the shit sandwich that is the non performing Silver Lake deal. Having given away permanent ownership / revenue share you have to make it work somehow.
Kirk will definitely be able to deal with that shit sandwich better than any other person in NZ rugby, EVER!
If he cant get a good outcome, it aint possible. -
@MN5 said in All Blacks 2026:
I certainly get he wasn't exactly popular but that seems to pale in comparison to what I've heard on this thread about Razor.
It's close, but I think Mitchell is the winner.
Only cos I think Razor didn't really know what the fuck he was doin.
Mitchell and his assistants knew they were bein dicks, and didn't care.
But the ex-AB coach tag would have been enough to allow him to stay in the game and have some learnings in the last 20 years.
No way is he comin back tho, F that. -
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks 2026:
@antipodean said in All Blacks 2026:
@Cyclops said in All Blacks 2026:
It still feels like a massive longshot that he ever gets the gig again though.
Won't happen. His supposed strengths are the very reason he got booted. This wasn't a case of not having unfamiliar skills - it's a complete grotesque failure of the very thing he was supposed to be best at.
It really puts into perspective the success the Crusaders setup has had .
Know it's unfair, but I have this nagging feeling NZR were conned.
I can see that argument, but what explains his success at the Crusaders?
Surely the guys that played under him there - Whitelock, S Barrett, Taylor in particular - would not have stood for him if he was a genuine conman?
Not sticking up for Razor here - the guy is clearly an intellectual midget with an over-inflated ego and looking at his AB stint in isolation, it's clear there's a bit of the chancer about him - but I just don't see how a genuine conman gets away with it for 7 years.
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@mohikamo said in All Blacks 2026:
If using speed and skill was the basic strategy, I actually agree with that.
That would be fine if we had enough speed and skill - but we don't.
In fact, our biggest area of strength is the fat, slow blokes.
