Vern Cotter on which Blues players will 'bring an edge to the team'

Vern Cotter is backing his new Blues outfit to go one step further in the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, having bowed out just shy of glory each season since a 2021 Trans-Tasman title.

Cotter is one of three incoming Super Rugby Pacific head coaches in the wake of Scott Robertson’s All Blacks overhaul, replacing Leon MacDonald at the Auckland club after leaving Fiji earlier in the year.

While results turned a remarkable corner under his predecessor, Cotter says the squad he’s inherited hold higher expectations.

“It’s a really hard one when you sit back, and I’ve spoken to a number of the players about this as well, there’s an element of disappointment,” The 61-year-old told reporters last Thursday as his squad was announced for the 2024 season.

“They’ve done really well, from where they’ve come from in the last three years. So, it’s just nailing that last little bit now and finding what we need.

“It’s really the player that will come up with the solutions. They’re the guys on the field, doing the business. We’re only there guiding them and helping them a little bit with reflecting on how they can get better in performance situations.

“I’m looking forward to that, sitting down and talking to these guys because there’s talent there and just making sure we then become consistent, and just work on what Leon (MacDonald’s) done the last three years.”

Even with the absence of All Blacks Beauden Barrett and Nepo Laulala, the Blues are indeed deep with talent.

The two departures leave far less of a gap in the starting unit than other familiar domestic rivals, and while boasting 11 remaining All Blacks may project as an advantage, Cotter says the real value in his personnel is their hunger.

“I think it’s the ones that want to become All Blacks that make a difference. Finding guys that genuinely want to put that jersey on, and when we sit down and have our one-on-ones – quite a few guys have already been in which is really nice to see them, and they’re about their work and preparing before the season starts so if there’s a group in there that want to become All Blacks, that’ll bring an edge to the team.”

There is of course plenty of international opportunity at the start of a new World Cup cycle, opportunity only amplified by the fact it is a new coach selecting the All Blacks.

The aspiring talent within the Blues ranks will play off a fountain set on simple principles according to Cotter, who wanted to keep it simple when asked about the expectations fans should have of his team.

“Expectations; look I think some simple things around the game, I think that we as a group, we need to enjoy what we do first and foremost. They’re in there to put a smile on everybody’s face but to have a smile on our faces as well.

“Working hard and really keeping things simple. I think that’s what you can expect from these guys.

“Then, making sure we bounce in and out of situations that are going to be difficult because we’re not going to win every game. I’d love to but we’re not. And then how we deal with losses and how we deal with upsets and how we deal with disappointments.

“I want this team to grow, I want it to grow, become more mature. I think that’s one of the key things we want, to love our experiences and go back and analyse them and then try and get better.”

In joining the Blues, Cotter joins a fierce but unfavourable rivalry between his side and the Crusaders. It was the Canterbury outfit who snagged the coach’s attention when asked what he made of opposing squad announcements, after insisting his main focus was internal.

“We know the Crusaders, I mean they’ve been nailing for so long so they’re the reference in this competition. Everybody will be trying to get to them.

“We’ve all got our noses on the line together, so we’ll talk about things three or four weeks into the competition.”