Josh Kronfeld Names Tony Brown as Springboks' Key Danger Man Ahead of All Blacks Series

• All Blacks legend Josh Kronfeld identified Springboks attack coach Tony Brown as the biggest threat heading into the Greatest Rivalry series
• Kronfeld argued that South Africa historically retreat to conservative play under pressure, but Brown has disrupted that pattern
• The former All Black also weighed in on whether New Zealand should match South Africa's Bomb Squad

Former All Blacks flanker Josh Kronfeld has singled out Springboks attack coach Tony Brown as the most significant factor in the upcoming Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series between South Africa and New Zealand.

Speaking on the DSPN podcast with Martin Devlin, Kronfeld argued that Brown's presence has fundamentally altered how the Springboks respond when the pressure mounts during a match.

Brown disrupts Springboks' old tendencies

Kronfeld argued that South Africa have traditionally become predictable when matches move against them, often reverting to a familiar formula built around kicking, physicality and forward play. He suggested that opponents could exploit this by maintaining a high-tempo attacking approach, which he believes the Springboks struggle to match consistently.

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However, he identified assistant coach Tony Brown as a major threat to that theory. Kronfeld believes Brown has introduced a different attacking dimension to the Springboks, giving them greater confidence to maintain pressure and play with more variety. He also pointed to Brown's understanding of New Zealand rugby as a particular danger for the All Blacks.

The Springboks won back-to-back Rugby World Cups by leaning heavily on set-piece dominance, a strong kicking game and defensive solidity. Since Brown was appointed attack coach, the team has adopted a more expansive approach while maintaining their position at the top of the world rankings.

Kronfeld weighs in on Bomb Squad debate

Kronfeld also addressed the tactical question of whether the All Blacks should deploy a Bomb Squad approach to match what Rassie Erasmus' side typically brings off the bench. He suggested New Zealand have the flexibility to respond either way, but stressed that the key lies in targeting the edges of South Africa's defensive and attacking structures.

"If you can run stuff that opens channels just on the outside of what they're trying to do, that's where the holes are," he said.

"I sometimes don't think that we do that; we have, in the last few years, played into their strengths rather than looking to highlight their weaknesses."

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Kronfeld added that the current Springbok squad is more dynamic than teams from previous eras, noting that unique skill sets are spread across the entire matchday group, making South Africa a considerably more layered challenge for any visiting side.

Source: Briefly News