Fiji in dire need of new coach after Cotter quits

NEWS: Fiji is looking for a new head coach seven months before the World Cup after New Zealander Vernon Cotter resigned on Thursday because of "personal reasons".

The 61-year-old took charge of Fiji in 2020 after coaching French clubs Clermont Auvergne and Montpellier.

He also took Scotland to the 2015 World Cup quarter-finals.

Tevita Tuiloa, the union's interim chief executive, refused to be drawn on who could replace Cotter - "it could be a Fijian or from abroad" - but expects to name a coach by the end of February.

"Fiji Rugby was blessed to have Vern Cotter come on board, but the call [to resign] came directly from him due to personal reasons," Tuiloa told a press conference in Suva.

"Time is against us to find a coach to take the Fijians to the next level [at the World Cup], but we are confident we have the players."

Fiji has been drawn with Australia and Wales - both of whom also changed head coaches recently - as well as Georgia and Portugal in Pool C at the World Cup, which will take place in France and starts on September 8.

Fiji's best performance was at the 2007 tournament in France, where they reached the quarter-finals after a win over Wales, before losing to eventual winners South Africa.