Former Australia coach Bob Dwyer was recovering in hospital Thursday after suffering a heart attack, the Australian Rugby Union said.

Dwyer, 72, who led the Wallabies to victory at the 1991 World Cup, complained of chest pains at his home in Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands before being rushed to hospital.

"I was in the emergency ward at Bowral Hospital when I had the arrest," Dwyer said in a statement released by the union.

"I was on a monitor, and with a specialist, and they revived me straight away. I feel surprisingly well now.

"But I also know had I not been in such good hands when the arrest occurred that I wouldn't be here talking about it."

Dwyer had two stints in charge of the Wallabies.

The second of those, between 1988 and 1995, saw Australia record an historic World Cup triumph against England in 1991, as well as Bledisloe Cup series successes over the All Blacks in 1992 and 1994.

Dwyer's period as Test coach ended after the 1995 World Cup.

After coaching in England notably at Leicester from 1996, Dwyer returned to Australia to take charge of the Waratahs and led them to their first Super Rugby semifinal in 2002.