Tony Brown will coach the Sunwolves for their remaining three games of the Super Rugby season after Jamie Joseph decided to have a back operation.

Brown has been Joseph’s attack coach with both the Sunwolves and Japan ― who recorded home wins against Italy and Georgia this month.

In a statement released by the Sunwolves, Joseph said it was best to return to New Zealand to address the back pain he had been suffering, in order to be 100% for Japan’s November Tests and next year’s World Cup.

‘Although it was a very difficult decision to be unable to accompany the last three games of the season, it is necessary to make the best choice to achieve the goal of Japanese rugby,’ Joseph said.

‘I’m confident the Sunwolves will continue to evolve under the talented coach Tony Brown and support staff. I want to see their evolution tightly until the end of the 2018 season.’

The Sunwolves are last on the combined Super Rugby log, with two wins and 11 defeats from 13 matches.

Photo: Dianne Manson/Getty Images