Vern Cotter to leave Blues after 2026 Super Rugby season

Blues head coach Vern Cotter will step down from his role at the end of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season as part of a planned transition, with the experienced coach set to join the Queensland Reds from 2027.

The Blues confirmed the decision has been agreed in advance to provide certainty and stability ahead of the upcoming season.

Chief executive Karl Budge said announcing Cotter’s future early supports the club’s long-term planning and allows everyone to remain fully focused on performance.

“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.”

Cotter joined the Blues in 2024 on a three-year contract and played a key role in the club’s revival, leading the side to the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific title.

Despite confirming his future move, Cotter remains fully committed to the Blues for the 2026 season.

“Vern is 100 percent focused on the job at hand,” Budge said.

“He is deeply invested in this playing group and this organisation, and that does not change. We know he will continue to lead with the same professionalism and drive that has defined his time here.”

The Blues will now turn their attention to the new Super Rugby Pacific campaign, which begins with a home clash against the Chiefs at Eden Park on February 14.