Overview
- Queensland Rugby confirmed Cotter will replace Les Kiss on a two-year contract for the 2027 and 2028 Super Rugby seasons.
- Cotter will remain head coach of the Blues through the 2026 campaign in what the club called a managed transition, with successor planning already underway.
- He said advanced talks with the Reds before Scott Robertson’s sacking meant he could not make himself available for the All Blacks job.
- QRU leaders Dave Hanham and Sam Cordingley cited Cotter’s title-winning pedigree and cultural fit, noting his successes with the Blues and Clermont and Test roles with Scotland and Fiji.
- Kiss will coach the Reds through 2026 before moving to the Wallabies, while NZR’s search—prioritising New Zealanders with prior Test head-coaching experience—continues with options reported to include Jamie Joseph and Dave Rennie.