The Olympians Rugby Club holds a unique, prestigious place in New Zealand rugby history. Rather than being a traditional, weekly premier club with a fixed home ground, the Olympians were established as an invitational club modeled directly on the famous Barbarians FC style.
Operating primarily out of the North King Country region, the club focused on fostering the purest ideals of amateur rugby, sportsmanship, and community charity.
1. The Foundation and Jack Trapski (1950)
The club was founded in 1950 by Jack Trapski, a prominent and highly influential rugby personality in the King Country.
The idea sparked two years earlier in 1948, when Trapski successfully organized a match inviting the famous New Zealand Barbarians to play against a local selection at Ōtorohanga. The event was such an overwhelming success that Trapski convened a meeting to create a permanent, local equivalent.
• The Name Change: The club was initially going to be named the Corinthians, but the founders ultimately settled on the Olympians Rugby Club.
• The Debut: The Olympians took to the field for their first official match in 1951, playing against the Hamilton-based Harlequins in Ōtorohanga.
2. Geographic Footprint and Purpose
While it was an invitational club drawing talent from across the region and country, the Olympians had a designated territory within the King Country Rugby Union:
• The Divide: The Foresters Rugby Club represented the South King Country (Taumarunui and Tūrangi sub-unions), while the Olympians Rugby Club represented the North King Country (Ōtorohanga and Maniapoto sub-unions).
• The Mission: The club had no strict league ambitions. Its primary objective was the promotion of amateur rugby and good sportsmanship.
3. Playing for a Cause
Because they did not have the overhead costs of maintaining a traditional home stadium and local league infrastructure, the club functioned as a philanthropic engine.
Gate takings and proceeds from every single Olympians match were pooled together at the end of the year. The club committee would review applications from local groups, schools, injured players, and regional charities, distributing 100% of the proceeds back into the community.
4. High-Profile Fixtures
Throughout the mid-to-late 20th century, the Olympians regularly assembled powerhouse invitation squads featuring provincial stars and All Black trialists to play high-profile charity matches.
A famous example preserved in the National Library archives is their April 6, 1975 fixture, where the Olympians played the Centurions (another legendary NZ invitational club) in front of a massive crowd at Rugby Park in Te Kūiti.
The Golden Jubilee Record: The definitive written history of the club, outlining their early match sheets and foundational roster, can be found documented on Page 81 of the official King Country Rugby Union Golden Jubilee (1922–1972) book.
Thank you to Ron Cooke for helping provide the information.
The Foresters Rugby club represented South King Country (Taumarunui / Turangi Sub Unions) and the Olympians Rugby club represented North King Country (Otorohanga / Maniapoto Sub Unions). Thanks to Kevin Wereta for this information.
To view a pdf of the programme click here.
