Rugby: Wyllie legacy alive and well

Sir Graham Henry is to mentor Argentina's Los Pumas. Photo / Getty Images

He will work with the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) for only seven weeks - but rugby folk in Argentina are delighted and are expecting much from Graham Henry's relatively short "consultancy".

It stems from the time former All Black coach Alex Wyllie stopped over in Buenos Aires on his return home from South Africa back in 1992. He worked with an under-achieving Puma side preparing for a tour of Europe. Some credited him with the historic win against France, in Nantes, a month later.

When the former Canterbury captain and mentor was again available, in 1996, the UAR hired him as technical adviser to their national teams. His role evolved as other coaches failed to admit their failings and control their egos. Wyllie eventually became head coach of the Pumas when they finally broke their duck and managed to get into the top eight in a Rugby World Cup, in 1999.

"He was very straightforward in what he wanted to achieve. His biggest lesson was about our on and off the field organisation," said current Puma coach Santiago Phelan, who played under "Grizz" in three of his four seasons as part-time adviser.

His hiring came at a crucial time in the game's history - when Argentine rugby, always on the brink of greatness, could have become a Romania; their promise never fulfilled.

Wyllie, scary on the field but a much-loved character off it, deserves a lot of credit for sowing the seeds of Los Pumas' later achievements.

"I won't say we were a mess but we certainly learnt how to tidy up our act," added Phelan.

He was the second foreign coach - South African Izaak van Heerden assisted Los Pumas in 1965 - and since, only Frenchman Fabien Galthie has assisted the Argentine national team (in 2008-09).

When the UAR announced this week that Sir Graham Henry would become their technical adviser, the world of rugby took notice. It was a massive coup in a year in which the Argentine focus will shift to performing against the best in the world, in the new Rugby Championship.

Henry's teams played a few times against Los Pumas with a good record against the best South American side. Having won his two tests with the All Blacks (2006 and 2011), he won four and lost a fifth as Welsh coach, when he was held up to be 'The Great Redeemer'. That one loss in 2001 and the win in RWC 1999 had Phelan at flank.

"I have met him briefly and will speak to him soon to organise how he can best assist us. In rugby you have to learn all the time and what an honour it will be to learn from him. I was asked if I'd be okay to have him on board. What did I say? Yes!" added Phelan.

Negotiations with Henry started late last year after the UAR head honchos started planning how to get the best for their team.

"Personally, I've always thought that New Zealand rugby leads the way and has the best structures. We started with the best and, fortunately, Henry was interested straight away," UAR President Luis Castillo said.

Three and a half months of secret negotiations ensued. Henry's desire to take on the challenge of assisting Argentine rugby was strong but his agenda full. Through his agents, and with the support of the NZRU, the contract was finally signed this week - Henry stamping his signature next to Agustn Pichot's. The former captain and UAR international rep was instrumental in the hiring of Sir Ted "to provide certain coaching mentoring and consulting services in relation to the UAR's high performance programme", as the contract reads.

It says: "For avoidance of doubt, the consultancy services expressly exclude providing hands-on coaching or the provision of technical support to the Pumas or the national under-20 team.

"The purpose of the consultancy services is to instruct coaches, managers and other UAR employees involved in the high performance programme."

His involvement, despite the UAR announcing a part-time contract from April 1 to the end of 2012, has four initial mentoring periods adding to a grand total of seven weeks. Two of those weeks are pencilled in to be when Los Pumas travel to Wellington and the Gold Coast for legs three and four of the Rugby Championship.

Argentine rugby received a massive injection of optimism with the hiring of Henry, even if details of his involvement were sketchy, more so as neither Phelan nor Francisco Rubio, national director of high performance, have yet contacted him.

A meeting could soon occur in New Zealand to organise those 49 days of active duty.

The media frenzy and coverage that followed the announcement - national newspapers and electronic media covered it heavily - was only comparable to when Los Pumas play an international. Their last test was the RWC quarter-final loss against the All Blacks. Their next match is against Italy on Saturday, June 9.

Henry's involvement will mean a huge adrenalin rush for a game still growing in Argentina.

As his fellow Cantabrian Wyllie did, he will likely conquer Argentines by his simplicity, attention to detail and helping them fulfil their ambitions of competing against the best in the world.