https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360625152 ... es-aged-80
Former All Blacks coach and Canterbury great Alex ‘Grizz’ Wyllie has died, aged 80.
Wyllie, who also played eight games for the All Blacks in the early 1970s, coached the national side between 1988 and 1991.
Wyllie had retired near Picton in a home overlooking Queen Charlotte Sound, and had been unwell with cancer, not that it stopped him remaining a keen follower of club, provincial and All Blacks rugby.
A legend of Canterbury rugby after 210 games for his province Wyllie coached Canterbury to the 1983 NPC title and in 25 Ranfurly Shield defences from 1982 to 1985.
Wyllie played 40 games, including 11 tests, for the All Blacks from 1970 to 1973 and was assistant coach of the All Blacks’ first Rugby World Cup winning team in 1987.
He coached the All Blacks to 58 test wins, five losses and a draw between 1988 and 1991 - a 91% success rate.
Wyllie also coached in South Africa, led Argentina to a first-ever World Cup quarterfinal in 1999 and returned home to coach Marlborough and North Canterbury.
“The time can go pretty quick, I didn’t have enough time to do some of the things I’d have liked to do. The All Blacks are expected to win, as Scott Robertson is probably finding out now, and the criticism comes,” Wyllie told The Press last year when reflecting on his time as All Blacks coach.
“The worst part was in ‘91 at the World Cup, when we didn’t have the depth in certain places, certainly at fullback after we lost John Gallagher and Matthew Ridge [to rugby league]. We tried a number of players there but we didn’t have time to blend them in.”
In 2021, Wyllie was outspoken in urging the NZ Rugby board not to ignore pleas from a group of ex-All Blacks who feared for the future of the sport.
Like ex-internationals such as Ian Kirkpatrick, Allan Hewson and Dave Loveridge, Wyllie wanted the sport’s gatekeepers to find ways to ensure rugby is entertaining and appeals to players of all sizes.
“What NZ Rugby should take note of, is the number of people who are dissatisfied with the way the game is being played or managed, call it what you like,’’ Wyllie told Stuff.
“When we look back to when we were playing as kids, it was a game when you space to run with the ball in hand, pass and try and score tries,’’ Wyllie stated.
“It seems to be all about defence, now, and that is not really what the game is about. It is about attack, so that people can enjoy watching it.’’
