Former All Blacks coach Alex Wyllie died on Saturday at the age of 80, Canterbury Rugby said.
Wyllie coached New Zealand in 64 tests from 1988 to 1991, winning 58 times, losing four and drawing once.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Alex ‘Grizz’ Wyllie, who left us peacefully overnight,” local media quoted Canterbury Rugby as saying in a statement.
Reuters has requested comment from New Zealand Rugby.
The former flanker led the All Blacks as joint head coach alongside John Hart at the 1991 Rugby World Cup, where the All Blacks were eliminated in the semi-finals by eventual winners Australia.
Wyllie represented New Zealand 11 times as a player in international fixtures having played for Canterbury in provincial rugby more than 200 times from 1964 to 1979.
He took over as Canterbury head coach in 1982 and, after his three-year stint with the All Blacks, led Argentina to the quarter-finals of the 1999 World Cup.
