I cannot find the link, but apparently l'Equipe reported Cotter as saying on the Fiji situation that
"I had to resign for political reasons following a change of government that brought with it a xenophobic policy and themes such as 'Fiji for Fijians'. My expatriate status was disturbing. I was subjected to very negative, xenophobic and personal pressure"
Hence the weird departure from Fiji and the move to the Blues and Romania. Certainly sounds like the personal reasons were a clash of personalities. Some poking fun at Cotter for this and I know nothing about current Fijian politics*. However, it may explain the Drua coach wasn't asked to step up with Raiwalui (presumably an ethnic Fijian) being picked instead despite an absence of recent coaching experience. Given the way Cotter was dealt with by the SRU he seems very unlucky. If something odd happens to him a third time I think it would be fair to ponder if the issue is with him.
I am in favour of nations being coached by someone of their own nationality, but not if if means putting pressure on a guy to leave. Anyway, just a strange footnote on one of 2023's more unusual moves.
*if I remember right Fiji is a good example of when migration goes a bit extreme. An island of about 500k indigenous Fijians getting mass migration from India (a population of 1.4 billion, that is now about 40% of the Fijian population (VJ Singh anyone?)) courtesy of Britain. Ethnic Fijians get spooked about losing the ethnic Fijian identity and becoming an Indian territory, so have a coup to instill policies on immigration. This was a couple of decades ago I think but a 'Fiji first' attitude alleged by Cotter is not as comical as some interwebs types are trying to make out even if some of his white coaching staff were retained.
