Vern Cotter

Vern Cotter

Cotter in 2010
Birth name	Vernon Anthony Cotter
Date of birth	(1962-01-27) 27 January 1962 (age 63)
Place of birth	New Zealand
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight	115 kg (254 lb)
Notable relative(s)	Jeremy Cotter (brother)
Occupation(s)	Rugby Coach
Rugby union career
Position(s) No. 8 Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1980–1990 Counties Manukau () 1990–1994 Rumilly () 1994–1996 FC Lourdes () 1996–1997 Saint-Junien () 1997–1998 FC Lourdes () 1998–1999 U.S. Castelnau-Madiran () Coaching career Years Team 2000–2004 Bay of Plenty 2005–2006 Crusaders (Forwards coach) 2006–2014 Clermont Auvergne 2014–2017 Scotland 2017 Barbarians 2017–2019 Montpellier 2020–2023 Fiji 2024- Blues Correct as of 2 February 2023

Vernon Anthony Cotter (born 27 January 1962) is a New Zealand rugby union coach and former player, who was most recently the head coach of the Fiji national team.^[1] He started his coaching career at Bay of Plenty including winning the Ranfurly shield for the first time in the union’s history ^[2] He was part of the coaching staff for the successful Crusaders side between 2005 and 2006 winning 2 titles, before coaching in France with Clermont Auvergne between 2006 and 2014 coaching them to 6 finals and 2 titles including their first ever bouclier du Brennus ^[3] coached the Scotland national team from 2014, including a quarter final at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and left his role in May 2017 as his contract was not extended by the Scottish Rugby Union.^[4] In January 2020 Cotter was appointed coach of Fiji,^[5] but resigned in January 2023. He is currently coaching the Blues ^[6] and coached them to the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific title.