Wyllie played 40 games, including 11 tests, for the All Blacks between 1970 and 1973. Sports journalist and commentator John McBeth called him one of the hard men of New Zealand rugby.
He was an assistant coach to Sir Brian Lochore for the All Blacks' World Cup victory in 1987.
However, he is most remembered as the joint head coach with John Hart at the 1991 World Cup, which ended in a semi-final loss to the eventual champions the Wallabies.
It was the culmination of a turbulent period for the All Blacks, who had embarked on a 50-match unbeaten streak between the World Cup win and the 1990 season.
Wyllie infamously dropped captain Wayne 'Buck' Shelford that year, a move referenced in New Zealand popular culture ever since.
Wyllie was known as a physical player during his provincial career which saw him play 210 games for Canterbury.
He went on to coach the team in the 1980s, including when they held the Ranfurly Shield from 1982-85, which eventually was ended by an Auckland side in what's widely regarded as the greatest provincial game ever played.
It wasn't Wyllie's only brush with Shield lore, he also captained Canterbury when they famously lost the Log Of Wood to massive underdogs Marlborough in 1973.
In 1986, Wyllie was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to rugby.
He 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.
