Coaches Alex Wyllie and John Hart watch on during an All Blacks match at the Rugby World Cup, 1991, with Prince Edward watching the action. Photo: Photosport
A former coach who shared the highs and lows of two World Cup campaigns with Grizz Wyllie says their vastly different styles may have been a roadblock to success.
Former All Black and coach Alex 'Grizz' Wyllie, who died yesterday aged 80, is being remembered as one of the most rugged coaches in All Black history, who commanded respect with a hard-nosed style.
Fellow New Zealand coach John Hart recalls sitting side-by-side on the coaching bench with Wyllie during the team's 1987 World Cup triumph.
What followed was the disaster of the 1991 World Cup campaign when the All Blacks were eliminated by the Wallabies in the semi-final without scoring a try.
The hurt from that afternoon in October in Dublin still lingers. The two men at the helm were co-coaches Wyllie and Hart.
Looking back, Hart wonders if he and Wyllie could have enjoyed a more glittering run had they been more alike.
"Well, we had very different styles of coaching really in terms of man-management style," said Hart who worked alongside Grizz was an assistant coach to Sir Brian Lochore for the All Blacks' World Cup victory in 1987.
"I guess that's why '91 wasn't as successful as it could have been because we were very different people.
"But we had a huge amount of empathy for the game and we had a lot of very similar views on selection and coaching."
All Blacks co coaches John Hart and Alex Wyllie in 1991. Photo: Photosport
"And I enjoyed the challenge that Grizz always gave us and enjoyed the time with him."
Some of the leading players of the late 1980s era were part of the action that day in the bitter 16-6 loss to Australia at Landsowne Road.
Former All Blacks coach John Hart was both a provincial rival and All Blacks co-coach with Grizz Wyllie. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport.co.nz
The All Blacks had the power of John Kirwan on the right wing, and kicking game of Grant Fox.
The talented backs were matched with the powerful front row of Scott McDowell and Richard Loe on either side of their hooker Sean Fitzpatrick, their captain Gary Whetton and Ian Jones in the second row and Alan Whetton and Zinzan Brooke in the back row.
Hart said it was hard to analyse if Wyllie's authoritarian coaching methods would work with today's players because the game had changed.
But there was no denying the Canterbury stalwart was one of the toughest leaders in rugby.
The All Blacks coaching bench watches from the stands in 1991, Grizz Wyllie (left), John Sturgeon and John Hart (right). Photo: Andrew Cornaga
"Coaching styles have shifted over the years and whether his style would have succeeded today..." Hart said.
"Look, he was a down to earth, he told it as it was, people understood where they stood and none of those attributes have changed."
Hart said Wyllie's legacy as a player and a coach was his "fantastic contribution" at national and provincial level.
"My own association with him was when I was coaching Auckland in the 80s and he was coaching the Canterbury side and we had some of the greatest matches of all time in that period."
Hart chuckles when he thinks about some of the tales from their time on tour together, but he's keeping the best anecdotes to himself because there are "too many" to tell.
"He was a character in his own right and, you know, there were plenty of fun times when Grizz was around.
"Coaching styles have shifted over the years, it's only natural as many things there has been a lot of change in the game."
"He was down to earth, he told it as it was, people understood where they stood, and none of those attributes change."
Wyllie later had professional stints in England, Ireland, South Africa and Argentina and from 1996-99 was in charge of the Argentina national side, taking the Pumas to a quarter final at the 1999 World Cup.
Red and black inspiration
Canterbury was the province held close to Wyllie's heart because that was where it all began.
Grizz started his playing career at Glenmark Rugby Club and donned the Red and Black jersey for the first time in 1964.
He went on to play 210 matches, serving as captain for more than 100 of those games, until he hung up his boots in 1979.
In 1982 he returned to the Canterbury side as coach. His tenure was a successful one with the 1983 NPC title, wins against the British Lions and Wallabies and lifting the Ranfurly Shield from Wellington and holding it for a record-equalling three years.
Canterbury rugby Board chairman Mike Lay said Wyllie was a legend of Canterbury Rugby who will be missed.
"Our hearts go out to his family, and we are forever grateful for everything he gave to the game we all love," Mike Lay said.
"As a coach he shaped the game in ways that will be felt for generations.
"He was a mentor to so many, a fierce competitor on the field, a man of no fuss whose passion for rugby was matched only by his love for the people around him."
Rugby journalist and commentator John McBeth remembered Wyllie as one of the hard men of New Zealand rugby.
"He was a standout player for the All Blacks, particularly though for Canterbury," McBeth said.
"He then went on to coach Canterbury to successfully win the Ranfurly Shield. His All Black career went on to a stage where he became an All Black coach because of his success."
In later years, Wyllie took up playing lawn bowls and said he wished he had taken it up earlier.
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