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'France 2023 could be a real watershed moment for Fijian rugby'
Vern Cotter’s former right-hand man at Clermont and Montpellier believes the New Zealander is the perfect fit for Fiji and will make them title contenders at the 2023 World Cup in France.
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Cotter will take over from John McKee as Fiji’s head coach when his Montpellier contract ends in July, and the former Scotland coach will then attempt to build on the brilliant rugby the islanders produced against Australia at the 2019 World Cup.
They led the Wallabies until the last 20 minutes before falling away, and they then allowed inconsistency to shape the rest of their campaign with losses to Wales and most surprisingly Uruguay.
Former Wasps and England out-half Alex King played under Cotter at Clermont before assuming the backs coaching role which he continued at Montpellier prior to moving to Brive this season. He has seen at close hand what effect Cotter can have on players and his ability to create a winning team.
With so many Fijian players operating in France, Cotter knows exactly what challenges he faces and King is confident that over the next three years his old boss will create a team that the rest of the sport will fear at the 2023 World Cup.
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World Rugby have added pressure on teams to improve their results in 2020
King told RugbyPass: “France 2023 could be a real watershed moment for Fijian rugby. It is a brilliant appointment for Fiji because Vern is the ideal man to use the undoubted talent they have and also bring the consistency of performance and preparation that they will need.
“He is very organised and will be working with some of the most incredible rugby players on the planet. With Vern’s experience and the way he forms teams, it is a great match. Everywhere Vern has been he has improved the environment, the rugby and he has worked with a lot of Fijian players over the 20 years he has been coaching and they respond to his methods.”
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Despite impressing in the pool defeat by Australia in Japan, Fiji failed in their aim of making the last eight. King expects that disappointment to now fuel their challenge in France. He explained: “Fiji underperformed at the World Cup in Japan, but every tier one nation will fear Fiji being in their pool in France in 2023.
'Vern's the right man' is the consensus https://t.co/zNEi82V754
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 28, 2020
“The majority of Fiji’s players are in French rugby already and it won’t be too difficult to perform because they will be around family and friends who are with them in France. Vern will get them fit, well organised and with a real desire to put right what happened in Japan.
“Fiji have the best back in the world in Semi Radradra and arguably the best back row forward in Peceli Yato, and Vern will unearth some more gems in the next three years. Vern understands the Fijian culture and mentality and he will want to harness all the positive aspects.
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“He will bring organisation to the forward pack and it is really exciting for Fiji to have him in charge and to be able to plot the course to the World Cup. The Fijian players work incredibly hard at their clubs and are fitter than they have ever been. It will be interesting to see if they get Scotland in their pool in 2023!”
World Rugby's plan hasn't been popular https://t.co/mVq51jV5ef
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 29, 2020
King is working with Brive alongside ex-Ireland lock Jeremy Davidson and he has invited French neighbours around to watch England’s opening Six Nations match with France on Sunday.
He is intrigued to see how Shaun Edwards, his former coach at Wasps, can influence the French defence in his new role. “I think his French accent will be a touch of the Rodney Trotters!”
WATCH: The Rugby Pod sets the scene ahead of the 2020 Guinness Six Nations and reflects on yet more Saracens fallout
Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments