The Queensland Rugby Union is today delighted to announce that successful international coach Vern Cotter will be the new Queensland Reds Men’s Head Coach for 2027-28.
Following a comprehensive process, the QRU reached the decision that the highly-credentialled head coach would be the ideal fit for the Reds.
Cotter’s pedigree across 24 years as a coach includes two trophy-winning campaigns at elite club level with the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific (2024) and Clermont-Auvergne in the French Top 14 (2009-10).
He is in a select club of head coaches to win titles in the southern and northern hemisphere with the likes of Michael Cheika, Robbie Deans and Eddie Jones.
Cotter also spent six years in the unrelenting environment of Test rugby, taking Scotland to the Rugby World Cup in 2015, coaching Fiji for three years and being a consultant for Romania at the 2023 tournament.
Cotter has signed a two-year deal to succeed Les Kiss, who will take on the head coaching role at the Wallabies in July after a final concerted campaign with the Reds in Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific.
Cotter, 64 today, said he was excited by the Reds role and impressed with how the process had been run.
"In professional sport, you don't want to be walking into a vague organisation. The Queensland Rugby Union has already shown it has some really smart people in the business, they are organised and they have a vision," Cotter said.
"Every time I've taken a role in sport, it's been about the people. I've had a connection with Sam Cordingley (Reds General Manager, High Performance) since my days at Clermont in France.
"When I was contacted about the position, I was chuffed and proud. 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.
"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.
"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."
QRU Chief Executive David Hanham said Cotter is the ideal appointment.
“What stood out immediately to us was Vern’s character and how strongly he aligns with the values that define us as an organisation,” Hanham said.
“His record of sustained success speaks for itself but just as compelling is the positive impact he has on people, teams and the environments he leads. That influence is unmistakable.
“Vern aligns strongly with our ambition to keep growing and improving every day, in every moment, and through every action. He understands the legacy he is stepping into and is committed to adding to it.
“We are excited to welcome him to Queensland Rugby and into the Reds family and we are confident he will make a significant and lasting contribution to our future.”
Born in Devonport in New Zealand, Cotter’s playing career as a forward for Bay of Plenty and Counties Manukau in the 1980s was a springboard to playing abroad in Italy and France where his zeal for coaching kicked off.
His professional coaching career in NZ ignited as Bay of Plenty Head Coach in 2002. He delivered his small home province the first and only Ranfurly Shield of their history in 2004.
His step up to the Crusaders as forwards coach in 2004 became a key role in back-to-back Super Rugby titles in 2005-06.
Cotter’s energy to throw himself into fresh challenges saw an eight-season link with Clermont-Auvergne which delivered the French club a Top 14 trophy in 2009-10, a Heineken Cup final appearance in Dublin in 2012-13 and multiple visits to the French finals.
His Test experiences with Scotland produced the best winning rate, at 53 per cent (19 wins from 36 Tests), of any coach in the professional era with the national team.
After coaching Fiji, Cotter’s return to New Zealand to coach the Blues for 2024 produced an historic Super Rugby Pacific title, their first in 21 years. Cotter will coach the Blues at full intensity this season before stepping into the Reds role.
Cordingley, the Queensland Reds General Manager, High Performance, said the quality of the coaches who expressed interest in the Reds Head Coach role reflects strongly on Cotter being the right man for the job.
“Our criteria was clear - we wanted a coach with a history of title success capable of building on the strong High-Performance environment Les has created at the Reds,” Cordingley said.
“Vern brings a rare combination of international experience and title success in both the northern and southern hemispheres."
Reds Head Coach Les Kiss said: "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."
- 2004 - Ranfurly Shield win (first in province's history)
- 2006–07 - European Challenge Cup Champions
- 2009–10 - French Top 14 Champions
- 2012–13 - Heineken Cup Final
- Record 77-game winning streak at home stadium
- 2014 - First victory over France in 10 years
- 2015 - Rugby World Cup Quarter-finalists
- 2024 - Super Rugby Pacific Champions
