A major shake-up in the coaching world has just occurred, leaving a prominent All Blacks hopeful blindsided!
The Queensland Reds have officially announced their next head coach, and it's none other than Vern Cotter. This exciting move sees Cotter transitioning from the Blues, but it comes with a significant consequence: it rules him out of contention for the coveted All Blacks head coach position. This news is a big blow for New Zealand Rugby as they continue their search.
Just recently, New Zealand Rugby put out a public call for candidates to lead the All Blacks, laying down some pretty strict criteria. To even be considered, applicants must be a New Zealander and possess international head coaching experience. This has, as expected, narrowed down the field considerably.
And this is the part most people miss... While Joe Schmidt, the outgoing Wallabies head coach, perfectly fits the bill for the All Blacks job, he has reportedly taken himself out of the running. Even more surprisingly, he seems to have taken another experienced coach with him – Vern Cotter!
Cotter, who will be trading Auckland for Queensland after the current Super Rugby Pacific season, has signed a two-year deal with the Queensland Rugby Union, commencing in 2027. The Reds have been on the hunt for a new head coach since it was confirmed that their current boss, Les Kiss, would be stepping up to lead the Wallabies, taking over from Schmidt. Their sights were set on Cotter late last year.
Cotter, the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific-winning coach with the Blues, expressed his delight, stating, "When I was contacted about the position, I was chuffed and proud." He added, "Australian rugby and Australian sport fascinates me. To work in that culture excites me and when the QRU laid out their plans for the Reds, it was compelling."
He elaborated on his decision, explaining, "I did my homework. The Queensland mindset is strong. The history of players who have been produced for the Reds and Wallabies, and the junior nurseries behind them, tells me there is scope for the Reds to keep growing." He firmly believes in continuous improvement, stating, "I pride myself on always looking to improve myself as a coach and I certainly feel this can make me a better coach. ‘We train to win’ is always my position."
But here's where it gets controversial... A conversation with Joe Schmidt played a crucial role in convincing Cotter that the Reds were the right move. Schmidt, a former head coach for Fiji and Scotland, also boasts extensive experience with French club Clermont and in Super Rugby, including a stint with the Crusaders. Cotter shared, "It was important that I speak to someone who knew the players and who had experience with the environment and rugby in Australia…he’s got a glowing report of rugby in Australia."
He continued, "It was a great conversation with Joe, and he was very complimentary of the playing roster that’s there, sees some upward growth within that group of internationals, but also players that will potentially become internationals. So it was a reassuring conversation and Joe’s a good friend of mine. We’re often in contact and have been quite a lot over the years."
While Jamie Joseph and Dave Rennie are now considered frontrunners for the All Blacks' top job, Cotter's name was also in the mix. However, his move to Queensland has effectively ended his chances. He remains committed to his agreement with the Reds, which he signed late last year, even before Scott Robertson's departure was confirmed.
Cotter admitted he was 'blindsided' by New Zealand Rugby's decision regarding Robertson. He confessed, "That was a surprise. We were well down conversations with the Reds. I was a bit blindsided by the Razor thing. No one thought that was coming. There was a review after two years and two years before the World Cup but we were too far down the track. It would’ve been hard to say ‘I’m going to make myself available for the All Blacks’. Everyone would love to coach the All Blacks, but it’s timing and it didn’t work out."
While Cotter hasn't entirely closed the door on coaching the All Blacks in the future, he acknowledges it's a long shot. "I would love to coach the All Blacks. I applied in 2011. That’s a long time ago now. I had given my word [to the Reds] and I don’t like letting people down," he stated. "You’d be silly to rule that out, but, at the moment, there’s two years and that will take us to the World Cup. We’ll see what happens but, hopefully, the All Blacks will be successful and they won’t need another coach for a few more years."
He also expressed confidence in the available talent in New Zealand, noting, "And there’s some really good coaches who will be available for the All Blacks and coaches with international experience. We’ve got them here – Paul Tito has had experience; Greg Feek, Dan Halangahu with Tonga. There’s some really good coaches around the country. They [NZR] know what they want and I’m sure they’ll run a process that will get the right person for it."
Meanwhile, the Blues are actively seeking a new head coach, with more details expected soon. The club's CEO, Karl Budge, emphasized that announcing Cotter's departure before the season was a strategic move for clarity. "This has been part of a long-term strategy, and both Vern and the club felt it was the right thing to be open and clear before the season begins," he said. "We hugely appreciate everything Vern has done and continues to do for the club. He has delivered exactly what he was brought in to do. The Blues have a strong performance environment, clear DNA of how we want to play and know what it takes to be champions."
Les Kiss, the Reds' current head coach, is looking forward to a smooth transition. "I look forward to ensuring the transition to Vern is a good one. As part of the coaching group and team management, we are really excited to put everything into a big 2026 season at the Reds with all we have been training and working at."
Cotter's impressive coaching record includes a Ranfurley Shield with Bay of Plenty, three Super Rugby titles (one as head coach, two as assistant), a Challenge Cup, and a Top 14 title with Clermont. He also led Clermont to two Top 14 runner-up finishes and a Champions Cup final.
What do you think about Vern Cotter's decision? Do you believe Joe Schmidt's influence played too big a role? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
