The debt of gratitude Argentine rugby has with Alex Wyllie is greater than many outdoors of this nation can acknowledge.
When information of his dying surfaced, many who got here beneath his mentorship between 1996 and 1999 have been vastly grateful and appreciative of what he did for them, for the staff and Argentine rugby.
‘Grizz’ was gruff, grumpy, his voice harsh, spoke laborious truths however in time, after sharing his optimistic imaginative and prescient of the sport and his huge information, getting understood and himself understanding what Argentines have been fabricated from, he was a real buddy.
Should you scratched beneath his exterior, he was a stable man. Wyllie’s first contact with Argentine rugby was teaching in opposition to Los Pumas within the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 and later head teaching the All Blacks to collection’ wins in 1989 at dwelling and in an unbeaten tour of Argentina in 1991.
The next yr he was invited to work with the nationwide staff forward of a tour of Europe.
He was on his method dwelling from Europe and stopped in Buenos Aires for every week. After beating Spain and Romania, Argentina beat France for the primary time ever in France.
That evening in Nantes is etched in historical past. 4 years, later, in 1996, when he completed teaching Transvaal in South Africa, he joined Los Pumas for a collection in opposition to the Springboks in Buenos Aires and, days after, a tour of England.
Twickenham all however fell; the 2 level loss ought to have been a win. Head coach was José Luis Imhoff, father of future check wing Juan, who instantly embraced Wyllie’s information.
Employed on a weekly foundation, 1997 was a busy yr for Wyllie who, when again at dwelling, by no means ceased to be a farmer. He was in Argentina forward of the shared collection in opposition to England after which returned again dwelling carrying Puma colors for an notorious tour.
After horrible climate within the buildup, Wellington introduced its best climate for the opening check. Attempting to earn some a lot wanted benefit in opposition to arguably among the finest ever All Blacks’ groups, he selected to get to Athletic Park on the eleventh hour.
He argued throughout the staff the All Blacks would get nervous in the event that they thought Los Pumas have been a no-show. Los Pumas warmed up in a close-by park however due to site visitors needed to go away a lot sooner than anticipated and the specified impact was nowhere to be seen.
New Zealand 93 – Argentina 8. After the 4 week tour, the U21s arrived in Christchurch forward of the U21 Southern Hemisphere Match in Sydney. That’s the place Wyllie was at his greatest – there was much less strain and he had a significantly better rapport with the coaches.
He smiled lots, one thing laborious to establish beneath his big moustache, and even dropped a tear on the finish of the tour when the staff containing future World Rugby Corridor of Famer and present Puma coach Felipe Contepomi and 13 future internationals – together with eight who performed in RWCs – offered him with a signed jersey.
After that tour, issues needed to change and gamers firmly believed in what Wyllie needed to supply and his imaginative and prescient on the trendy, skilled, sport.
Head coach Imhoff began to lose energy and Wyllie’s voice was way more distinguished. The yr of the worst loss ever completed with an in depth away loss in opposition to France in Tarbes, and a shared collection with the Wallabies at dwelling.
When France arrived in 1998, the scene was sourer; the great vibe between head coach and advisor was much less pleasant and inner battles, of which Wyllie stayed away from regardless of being the central concern, took its toll on the staff that underperformed that yr, not a optimistic signal within the build-up to Rugby World Cup.
Once more, the brightest a part of that yr was the U20s sojourn to Cape City which introduced the very best of Wyllie, exhibiting his true character beneath that toughness. As 1999 was heading into an annus horribilis, most gamers wished Imhoff out of the staff and after a darkish interval, he was advised to step apart.
He refused, however ultimately needed to settle for the destiny. Coach of the U20s Héctor Méndez was elevated with Wyllie his proper hand. It wasn’t the top of the chaos. A fortnight earlier than flying to Cardiff the place Los Pumas have been to play the house aspect within the match opener, Méndez resigned and Wyllie was elevated.
He flew into Buenos Aires, held a few coaching session and off to Rugby World Cup. An in depth loss in opposition to Wales was adopted by a nasty first half efficiency in opposition to Samoa – who had overwhelmed Los Pumas in RWC 1991 and RWC 1995.
Wyllie stormed into the small altering room at Stradey Park, spoke his fact with a couple of expletives – if there was audio of that ranting, it might in all probability should be beeped – and left.
His message reached the bones and fibres of every participant, the sport was circled, and a win beneath the rain in Llanelli was the beginning of many good issues. Los Pumas went on to beat Ireland in a coming-of-age evening in Lens to qualify, for the primary time, to a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal.
With solely three days to recuperate, together with travelling to Dublin, France beat them, solely within the ultimate minutes. Having agreed to teach Clontarf for 2 seasons, the subsequent morning, because the staff was leaving Wyllie tried to say his goodbye.
He couldn’t. He stood speechless in entrance of the staff, dropped greater than a tear, and left. “Alex was crucial as an assistant, providing a distinct steadiness and imaginative and prescient. Every coach at nationwide stage had his personal philosophy, however his was at all times new or totally different,” mentioned Gonzalo Quesada, present Italian head coach, who performed most exams at 10 throughout Wyllie’s time with Argentina.
Mauricio Reggiardo propped the Argentine scrum from 1996 to 2005.
He mentioned: “Alex taught me push myself and be rigorous. He was a tough man who wished laborious gamers. Even when that may be a attribute of the Argentine participant, he gave me lots in that sense, instructing me take pleasure in taking part in laborious.”
One of many many points that acquired talked about about Wyllie’s enter was how strict he was with time – 10am meant 9:50 and prepared.
It took a while to mould his gamers, however all of them noticed the advantages of one thing that beforehand was not the case. Former Puma coach and flanker Santiago Phelan additionally advised ESPN: “He was nice.
Laborious, rustic, however he gave us a terrific dedication. Rugby was totally different in the way in which we skilled, ready for and lived rugby.
He introduced us his method and left an enormous mark on us, together with RWC 1999. He actually beloved rugby and he made us really feel that.”
Phelan (2008-2013), hooker Mario Ledesma (2018-2022), Felipe Contepomi (2024-) and Quesada (with Italy from 2024) performed for Wyllie throughout these years and have become worldwide coaches.
Injured when he arrived in 1996 however within the staff for the second half of ’97 till Wyllie’s departure, Agustín Pichot was an in a position lieutenant.
The previous captain and vice-chairman of World Rugby wrote on social media: “As we speak I wrote within the 1999 World Cup chat: ‘Alex was the founder of recent Argentine rugby.’ However past that, for me, he formed a method of seeing the sport from a easy perspective, and above all, he taught me loyalty, love, and dedication.
“Earlier than a match with Scotland (pre RWC 1999), once I was dropped on account of political bidding, he stood up for me and advised the coaches: ‘he performs or I stop. He’s the very best.’
“Earlier than kick-off he advised me: ‘You’d higher play your greatest sport otherwise you’ll miss out on World Cup choice.’
“I stared at him, considering it was a joke… however Alex didn’t even flinch. That day we beat Scotland for the primary time in Edinburgh.
“Alex continued teaching till the top of Rugby World Cup, and we met once more at my farewell in 2009, when he travelled from his distant farm in New Zealand to be by my aspect.
“Unwell by no means cease thanking him for what he did for me, for us in these moments after we have been misplaced, and for Argentine rugby.
“Finest regards, my buddy. Goodbye. Thanks for every part.” Say say…thanks Grizz!
