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Vern Cotter on Cody Vai’s unique impact in the Blues environment
By Henry Lee at Eden Park, Auckland
He’s no stranger to the big moments, important plays, or big crowds, but Saturday night’s performance from former All Blacks Sevens flyer Cody Vai, was special.
Vai, who made his first start for the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific 2026 after a couple of impressive bench cameos, scored arguably one of the best tries of the season so far during the first half at Eden Park.
The 22-year-old Bay of Plenty winger showcased his athleticism by scoring an acrobatic try on the back of a cross-field kick from 144-Test All Black first-five Beauden Barrett.
Vai’s impact with ball in hand was one thing that impressed Cotter about his starting debut, including his ability in the air.
“There was a lot of hard work put in by the forward pack, and there was some nice stuff generated and produced by the backs, fast passing, quick feet, accurate play, and you got a guy like Cody.
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“Now you’ve seen what he can do when he gets the ball in his hands,” Cotter told reporters at Eden Park.
“So he’s skillful enough to put the ball in front with his feet as well and catching the air, so it’s really nice to have him, and he brings vivacity to the team, he just brings that energy and youthful exuberance.”
Cotter added that it’s not just his on-field attributes that make him a valuable asset to his side, highlighting his guitar playing skills that were on show after their round three clash against the Brumbies.
“And the boys just love having him around. And to be fair, when we came back from Canberra, we had the bus for three and a half hours back sitting before flying out. He’s pretty good on the guitar, and had the boy singing as well.
“So not only is he good on the field, but he helps the team come together off the field. So yeah, he’s got a big future in front of him.”
The 22-year-old has previously represented the New Zealand U20s in the 15-man code, and was a crucial member of the All Blacks Sevens in the HSBC SVNS Series over several seasons.
Speaking with Taylah Johnson on Sky Sport post-match, Vai said it’s a pretty incredible moment for him, scoring his first try in Super Rugby Pacific.
“Yeah, I saw the advantage from the ref, so I thought, I’m obviously using Beauden Barrett’s skill set. And just put my hand up and I knew he was gonna put it there,” Vai said.
“Pretty surreal to be honest, I’m getting to play with some of the idols I grew up watching. And yeah no words to be honest.”
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