Cotter maps out plans for Autumn Nations Cup

Fiji Airways Flying Fijians Coach Vern Cotter together with Fiji Rugby High Performance Unit are doing the hard yards in assembling a competitive national team for the Autumn Nations Cup this November in Europe.

Cotter said the HPU General Manager Simon Raiwalui and his team are monitoring the players here in Fiji while he is liaising with overseas based Flying Fijians.

The unique eight nation tournament will take place over four weekends between November 13th and December 6th, 2020 with traditional 6 Nations England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy and France being joined by Georgia and Fiji.

Cotter said “I don’t think there can be anything tough then playing France, Italy and Scotland in a three week period, it will certainly be harder than preparing for World Cup.”

The opportunity has also come at the right time for the young players who have proven themselves this season.

Cotter said “It’s a great opportunity to play this teams but also keep younger players or players who haven’t had the chance to play against these teams and understand what is like to back up tough performance week after week.”

He added “We know that there are some of the players who played in the last World Cup and won’t be involved because they getting towards the early end of their careers.”

“We need to create good habits and there will be players who will become leaders in the group” he said.

It will be an uphill battle for the Flying Fijians in its pool against teams such as France, Italy and Scotland.

Despite Fiji recording a famous 21-14 win over France in 2018, the les Bleus will come with all guns blazing.

Cotter said the challenge for him and his coaching team will be to prepare a Flying Fijian team which can play for full 80 minutes.

He said “We got so much natural flavour in this team, if we can alternate our game and not fall into easy traps set up by opposition teams, if we take away complacency and bring a better plan into our game, I think that game will extend from 40 to finally 80 minutes.

He said they will also try and work on different game plans before tackling the teams in their pool.

“If we can’t play within our half we will move the ball down the other end and from there we have to change mindset into working hard without the ball” said Cotter.

He added “We need to be very effective with the ball and very aggressive and intimidating without it, I think we will be able to save energy and become more effective, physical preparation will be important.”

“We can actually have a game plan where we can shut the matches towards the end and back our fitness plus the discipline” he said.

He highlighted another major area they will work on is the maintaining a good discipline and behaviour through the match.

“We need to be strong in set-piece and have mobility in players who are able to defend when the opposition has the ball and remain discipline.”

He added “I think there is a generation of players who are coming through and are working hard.

I think we just need to encourage them and put them in the right programs.”

Cotter added “We are in a process of having this programs and what levels we desire our players to be at using all the technologies.”

“It will give a bench mark and will know where we are plus the players who will play these games will understand the meaning of world class rugby and they will drive us and set standard forward to next World Cup” said Cotter.

Cotter is due to announce his squad in coming weeks with the Flying Fijians tentatively planned to assemble in France around October 25th.

The Flying Fijians will kick off their campaign the second week of the tournament in a blockbuster against fierce rivals France on Sunday 15th November, two years after they scored their thrilling victory at Stade France in 2018, this will be a match surely to delight fans around the world.

Fiji will then meet Italy on the 21st before heading to Murrayfield to play Scotland in the final round on the 28th of November.

The Autumn Nations Cup will conclude with a special final round of matches. Based on the pool rankings coming into the final weekend, each team will face off in a cross over final against their equivalent placing in the opposite pool.