Vern Cotter: Blues 'open' to player swaps during All Black sabbaticals

Rieko Ioane has started his Leinster career just as the Blues begin preseason for their 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign. While the absence of an 88-cap All Black looms as a key loss for the team, the arrival of a trophy-laden Pita Ahki is sure to help keep the team on track as hopeful title contenders.

Ioane is exercising the sabbatical clause in his New Zealand Rugby contract to spend the season with URC’s Irish heavyweights, while Ahki brings his young family home after eight seasons abroad.

The two moves may be mostly unrelated, but the convenience of the timing did prompt a question put to Blues head coach Vern Cotter following team training on Wednesday.

Could a player swap during All Blacks sabbaticals become a reality? Cotter labelled the idea “interesting” before exploring some pros and cons.

“Obviously, there’s contracts, there’s World Cups. Everyone’s got their own interests,” he said. “But the cross-pollination of ideas and experience can help.

“It’s such a long season, you get stuck into that Top 14 for 11 months of the year, it might be quite good for them to have a sabbatical of six months in New Zealand or Australia or elsewhere where they can learn something different, experience different rugby, different people, different culture.

Cotter concluded his response by saying, “We’re open to it.”

The road to the northern hemisphere competitions is often one-way traffic for Australasian talent. While some are lured home for the chance to compete for Rugby World Cup glory, many cut ties with dreams of competing in the Test arena altogether.

Ahki is now one of the few venturing home, with some serious silverware in his pocket.

“When I was coaching Montpellier in 2017, he got brought in by Toulouse from Connacht. He had a dodgy knee, and I remember talking to the Toulouse boys, and they weren’t sure what they were getting. It turns out he’s won four Top 14 titles and three European titles. I don’t think many players have that experience and success.

“He’s a local boy, and bringing him back here with that knowledge and skill set is awesome for the team. It’s nice to have people coming back in, but also people who have won and know what it takes to win. That transmission to our players will be really important.

“And missing Rieko, it’s nice to have someone who takes Rieko’s place, because he was emblematic.”

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While there’s clearly a spot in the Blues midfield up for grabs, Ahki will have some competition for the jersey in the form of young up-and-comers James Cameron, Corey Evans, and Xavi Taele. AJ Lam has been a consistent force for the team since shifting to the midfield full-time in 2024, and is likely to partner whoever wins the race for the second midfield role.

Cotter is certainly full of confidence that his 33-year-old new recruit can turn some heads.

“He may surprise us and play every game. I think he’s come here with that intention: to play every game.

“He (still has that in him). He doesn’t have to prove anything, does he? He just has to turn up, be himself. He’s got a great skill set, and he’s already sharing it with players. A quiet guy, I like the quiet guys who have been successful; they’re always nice to have.”

The coach also left the door open to more movement between the two clubs, highlighting the fact that Ahki is not the first player to double-dip.

“There is a connection between the Blues and Toulouse. Christian Califano was over here playing for the Blues a few years ago, and there may be other Toulouse players coming over and playing for the Blues in the future.”