EXCLUSIVE - Jamie Joseph, Tony Brown and Richie McCaw spotted together

Former Brave Blossoms head coach Jamie Joseph, Springboks assistant coach Tony Brown and All Blacks great Richie McCaw had lunch together on Friday in Wanaka, sources have told RugbyJP.com.

Current Highlanders and All Blacks XV head coach Joseph and ex-Saitama Wild Knights fly-half Brown led Japan to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history at the tournament they hosted in 2019.

The 56-year-old has been tipped to succeed ex-Black Rams Tokyo flanker Scott Robertson who New Zealand Rugby parted ways with on Friday following an end-of-year review and an underwhelming 2025 campaign.

Joseph and Brown are one of the most successful coaching partnerships in the modern international game and won plaudits for their work with the Brave Blossoms as they established an exciting attacking identity and built the foundations for the 2019 World Cup hosts to be promoted to Tier one status. 

Former Fukuoka Sanix Blues flanker Joseph, who played for New Zealand and later for Japan in 1999, reinforced his credentials by steering the All Blacks XV to an undefeated end-of-year tour to close out 2025 including an impressive 31-14 win over England A in Bath.

His long-time assistant Brown, now a key member of South Africa's all-conquering coaching team, turned down an approach from Ian Foster to join the then-All Blacks head coach's setup, stating that his loyalties lie with Joseph.

The Otago folk hero, who is contracted to South Africa Rugby until 2027, is regarded as having one of the sharpest minds in the sport and was integral in masterminding the Highlanders’ 2015 Super Rugby win alongside Joseph.

Two-time World Cup-winning captain McCaw remains one of the most influential figures in New Zealand rugby and, while it's unclear if he was sounded out for a potential role on Joseph’s coaching ticket, his inclusion in a new All Blacks high-performance regime would be well-received.

Wanaka in Otago, a popular tourist ski town in deep South Island, is seen as Highlander territory and is far removed from where the decision-making is currently taking place at NZR's headquarters in Wellington in the North Island.

NZR chairman David Kirk said that a successor would be appointed “as soon as possible” with just 20 months until the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Kirk, who was the first player to lift the Webb Ellis trophy in 1987, praised the passion of Robertson – the most successful coach in Super Rugby history – but conceded that the team was not moving in the right direction.

The former scrum-half has vowed to “cast the net wide” in their search for a new head coach, one of the game’s most coveted roles.

Three-time World Cup winners New Zealand will begin their 2026 season in July with the inaugural Nations Championship taking centre stage.

The All Blacks will host France on 4 July, Italy a week later and Ireland on 18 July.