Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph says he's still digesting news of Scott Robertson's sudden dismissal, amid speculation he could be in line to take over as the next All Blacks head coach.
New Zealand Rugby confirmed last Thursday that Robertson would be leaving the role, two years into his four-year contract.
Chairman David Kirk said: "Things were not on track. We were not seeing the trajectory we wanted."
Robertson's sacking immediately propelled Joseph into the conversation, with the former Japan coach widely viewed as a frontrunner to step into the role.
Speaking to 1News in Dunedin on Monday, Joseph admitted the situation had caught him off guard.
"The role, it’s only just become available — certainly a massive surprise for me," he said.
"Just time to digest, and I haven’t had a lot of time, getting back involved with the Highlanders."
Asked whether longtime collaborator Tony Brown would join him in any potential All Blacks coaching line-up, Joseph said the pair were in regular contact.
"I speak to Tony most weeks, mainly about golf," he said, adding he "hadn't had a chance to think" about the vacant role.
Brown, currently the Springboks’ attack coach, had been widely mentioned as a possible addition to any Joseph led coaching team. He was contracted through until the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus poured cold water on talk of Tony Brown leaving over the weekend, releasing an AI-generated Wolf of Wall Street parody showing Brown insisting he’s "not f***ing leaving".
New Zealand Rugby has already begun the process of recruiting a new head coach.
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