The history of the Rimutaka Rugby Club is a story of community spirit, natural talent, and rapid growth in the Upper Hutt valley. Though it operated as an independent club for just over 30 years, it left a massive mark on the Wellington club rugby scene before becoming half of a major modern merger.
The history of the “orange and black” spans a few distinct eras:
1. The Alternative Option (1981)
Rimutaka RFC was officially formed in 1981. It was established to provide an alternative, grassroots rugby venue for players living in the Upper Valley who wanted a different option from the long-established Upper Hutt RFC.
The club set up its headquarters at Maoribank Park and adopted a striking orange and black jersey. Rimutaka quickly gained a reputation as a family-oriented club that fostered natural, freewheeling rugby talent and strong community loyalty.
2. Climbing the Ranks & The Hardham Cup
For most of its existence, Rimutaka fought hard in the Wellington senior reserve and lower grades. However, by the 2000s, the club’s talent pool was too deep to ignore.
Rimutaka became regular, fierce contenders in the Hardham Cup (Wellington’s Division 2 competition) with strong campaigns in 2004, 2008, and 2009. While they initially struggled to break through to the absolute top tier, the club was steadily building a highly competitive junior pathway and expanding its sporting footprint to include a premier netball contingent.
3. The Historic Premier Breakthrough (2012)
The absolute pinnacle of the standalone club’s history came in 2012—coincidentally the club’s 30th anniversary year. Following a brilliant third-place finish in the 2011 Hardham Cup, Rimutaka officially earned promotion to the Swindale Shield (Wellington’s Premier Division 1) for the very first time.
Led by foundation members like head coach and former New Zealand Māori representative Ray MacDonald, the club hosted its first-ever Premier match at a packed Maoribank Park against Poneke. Playing in the top tier against historic, resource-heavy clubs was a brutal learning curve, but it proved that Upper Valley rugby could produce Premier-level squads.
4. The 2014 Merger: Evolving into the Rams
By 2013, both Rimutaka and their cross-town neighbors Upper Hutt RFC realized a tough truth: having two separate clubs in the Upper Valley was splitting player numbers and local sponsorships too thin to remain consistently competitive in the Premier grade.
Ahead of the 2014 season, the two clubs made the historic decision to amalgamate, creating the Upper Hutt Rams Rugby Football Club.
The Legacy Today
The merger was an instant success, bringing immediate depth and a renewed community buzz to the Upper Valley. The Rimutaka legacy is beautifully preserved in the Rams’ modern identity:
• The Colors: The Rams’ jersey famously blends orange (from Rimutaka) with maroon/blue (from Upper Hutt).
• The Spirit: The fierce, hard-nosed style of play nurtured at Maoribank Park helped shape top-tier players like former All Black Sevens captain Hayden Schrijvers and Super Rugby loose forward Murphy Taramai, both of whom proud fully carried the unified Upper Valley banner.
