Greig Oliver accident: Munster Rugby coaching official dies following paragliding incident age 58

The rugby world is mourning the sudden loss of former Scotland star Greig Oliver, who has died aged 58.

Oliver died during a paragliding accident in Cape Town, South Africa. He was visiting the country to watch his son compete in the Under 20 Rugby World Cup.

Oliver made a total of three international appearances for Scotland between 1987 and 1991 and he went on to become an elite performance officer at Munster, whilst also acting as assistant coach with Ireland under-20s.

Here we take a look back at the life and times of Greig Oliver and the cause of his death.

Who was Greig Oliver?

Greig Oliver was a Scottish rugby union player who later pursued a career as a development officer.

During his playing days, he was a scrum-half, making three appearances for the Scotland national rugby union team. He competed in the 1987 Rugby World Cup and the 1991 Rugby World Cup.

His cap tally would almost certainly be higher had his career not coincided with talented players such as Roy Laidlaw and Gary Armstrong, in an era when tactical replacements were not permitted. He was a substitute for his country on over 40 occasions. 

Oliver moved into coaching after his playing days came to a close and he went on to become an elite performance officer at Munster, whilst also working as assistant coach with Ireland under-20s.

What was the cause of Greig Oliver’s death?

Greig Oliver died during a paragliding accident in South Africa and he made the trip to watch his son, Jack, compete in the Under 20 Rugby World Cup.

Oliver was a passenger in a tandem flight when his craft crashed into another tandem paraglider. The crash is said to have happened above Sea Point Promenade, a popular tourist area.

Tributes to Greig Oliver

Tributes to Greig Oliver have been pouring in on social media after his sudden death. 

Munster CEO Ian Flanagan said: “On behalf of Munster Rugby, I would like to express our deepest sympathies to Greig’s wife Fiona, son Jack, daughter Ciara, and the wider Oliver family. 

“We are all in a state of shock following Greig’s tragic passing. He was a great colleague and friend to so many and will be dearly missed across the Munster and Irish Rugby community.”

Flanagan added: “Greig made his presence felt each day, he was always there to provide a helping hand and was a hugely popular character with his light-hearted nature and sense of humour.

“He had an infectious enthusiasm for the game and was incredibly passionate about helping young players be the best they can be on and off the field. May he rest in peace.”

Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) executive Kevin Potts added: “On behalf of the Irish rugby community. I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the Oliver family at this extremely sad time.”

World rugby chairman Bill Beaumont added: “On behalf of world rugby and the global rugby family, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the Oliver family, the Ireland U20 squad and the Irish rugby community at this difficult time.”

Beaumont added: “All the players at the World Rugby U20 Championship stand in solidarity with Jack, his teammates and the Oliver family and a moment's silence will be observed across all Tuesday’s matches as a mark of respect. We have also offered our full support to the Ireland team in South Africa.”