Blues DHL Super Rugby Pacific coach Vern Cotter will head for the Queensland sun to coach the Reds from 2027.
He announced his departure this week, a decision that ruled him out of consideration for a potential role with the incoming All Blacks coaching group.
That possibility had surprised him after he had started conversations with the Reds about his future role.
"Everyone would love to coach the All Blacks, but it's timing, and it didn't work out.
"I applied in 2011. That's a long time ago now. I had given my word [to the Reds] and I don't like letting people down."
He said it would be silly to rule out interest in a future role. But there were two years until the World Cup.
"We'll see what happens but, hopefully, the All Blacks will be successful and they won't need another coach for a few more years."
Cotter, 63, said that while he had loved his time with the Blues, his new appointment was another chance to try to create success in a different environment.
He helped the team achieve an overdue DHL Super Rugby Pacific title win in 2024, the first since 2003.
"I had a remit. There was a job here to be done around the way we went about our business and the rock-solid foundations."
But before getting involved in his new role, he is looking forward to another campaign with the Blues.
"I want to go to the end again this year. We're driven. We had a good pre-season. The whole emphasis has been on learning from last season and getting better."
Blues chief executive Karl Budge said he was aware of Cotter's intentions, and the process is in place to find a new coach.
"There's no timeline set at the moment. We want to cast the net wide and make sure we've done all our homework. That process will take care of itself over the coming weeks and months."
Another post-2026 departure has also been announced, with All Black and Crusaders centre Braydon Ennor, 28, moving to Perpignan in France after the DHL Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
Ennor, an Aucklander, moved south in 2015 and made his Crusaders debut in 2018 after being part of the New Zealand Under-20s world championship success in 2017.
He has played 76 times for the Crusaders and scored 25 tries.
Ennor said, "This decision comes with a lot of emotions, I love this place and the people here, but I'm excited for what's next."
