Vern Cotter reflects on Blues’ last-20-minute slip-up at Eden Park

At the start of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific competition, the Blues lost five out of their first six games, including an opening round defeat at the hands of the Chiefs.

That day, Blues head coach Vern Cotter felt like his team was nowhere near their best, but fast-forward to Saturday evening in round one of this year’s competition, the 64-year-old was a lot more satisfied with their performance.

It was a scrappy opening to the season, with both teams struggling for cohesion and fluidity in the first 25 minutes at Eden Park, before both sides attempted to swing the momentum towards their camp.

The Blues were leading 12-5 after 54 minutes, and then 15-12 after 66, but couldn’t hold onto victory as All Black halfback Cortez Ratima ran in a 76th-minute try to secure the opening round win for the Chiefs.

Cotter, who was announced as the new Queensland Reds head coach for 2027 last week, told reporters in Auckland post-match that the team felt like they had the chance to win that one.

“Yeah, that’s the general feeling from everybody, we got momentum back and we got them in the corner in that last 10 minutes, and then we weren’t as good in the 22 converting to their field position into points as we could have been.

“It was a real arm wrestle, which you’d expect against the chiefs, but we just gave them that little moment, little bit of a wriggle room and a defensive error, and then they get in front.

“So I’m proud of the boys for a lot of work they did, and we came away with one point. We certainly would have liked to come away with more. But there’s a sense of frustration, but also, I think, a real desire to get back on the paddock come Monday and put a few things right.”

“I think it was much different feeling coming out of the game last year, where we didn’t get a point, we weren’t good, we knew we were undercooked, whereas this time, I think was just a couple of details we can tidy up on,” Cotter said.

“We’ll be in it and more competitive moving forward, so it doesn’t feel the same at all, there is frustration.”

Although his team fell just short, the departing Blues head coach enjoyed the way the two teams played, rather than a kick first strategic plan.

“I know what I liked about today’s game was that both teams tried to play as well. It wasn’t just boring rugby, wasn’t just box kicking, catch, a mix of that was also initiative, quick taps.

“There was play out wide so I thought it was quite a smart game of rugby, there were errors in it because you’re asking a lot of the skillsets and the physicality.”