Amsterdam's oldest rugby club has been on the pitch since 1930, through a championship era, the birth of the Amsterdam Sevens, and the rise of one of the country's strongest women's sides.
The rugby section of the Amsterdamse Atletiek Club was founded on 22 October 1930 by H. Bohlmeijer and T. Wijch.
Within two years AAC was one of six clubs carrying organised rugby in the Netherlands.
AAC's first XV won its first national title in 1939–40 and dominated through the 1940s and mid-1950s.
The most recent men’s national championship came in 1976–77.
In 1972 AAC staged the first Amsterdam Sevens.
The tournament is now one of Europe’s largest sevens events and remains the club’s flagship weekend.
A women’s team was established in 1984.
The first of eight women’s national titles came in 2007–08.
AAC has played at Sportpark De Eendracht since 1997.
The men returned to the Ereklasse in 2024; the women won their eighth title in 2025.
Most recent women’s title: 2024–25, sealed by a 17–0 final win over RUS in Amsterdam on 25 May 2025. (photos and story →). The 2022–23 title came past defending champions Blue Waves/Bassets, 29–21. The most recent men's title remains 1976–77; the club has not won the Ereklasse since.
| Club | Titles |
|---|---|
| RC Hilversum | 19 |
| Haagsche RC | 15 |
| LRC DIOK | 13 |
| AAC Rugby | 11 |
AAC's 11 men's titles place it fourth all-time.
| Club | Titles |
|---|---|
| SRC Thor | 12 |
| AAC Rugby | 8 |
| RUS Utrecht | 6 |
AAC's eight women's titles place it second all-time among Dutch clubs.
On Easter Monday, 14 April 1952, AAC beat the Delft students' club DSR-C 21–13 in the final of the Van Broekhuizen-beker, the national rugby challenge cup donated to the federation by Dr Herman Dirk van Broekhuizen, a Dutch-born minister who had played rugby for South Africa in 1896.
The match was staged at De Vliert in 's-Hertogenbosch (the first official rugby match ever played at the stadium) and drew several thousand spectators on a warm spring day. DSR-C led 10–8 at the break; AAC pulled clear in the second half to 21–10 before a late DSR-C penalty set the final score. Afterward the mayor of 's-Hertogenbosch, mr. H. Loeff, presented the cup to the Amsterdam side.
Contemporary newspapers (De Telegraaf, De Maasbode, Het Vaderland, Het Vrije Volk and the Den Bosch Provinciale Noord-Brabantsche courant) all headlined the result the following day. The 1952 beker sits separately from the eleven Ereklasse titles on the board above: a distinct, well-attested cup honour from a competition the press of the day called the country's "officieuze" (semi-official) championship.
The club's own history records that first Dutch national Sevens title in 1953 and a further fourteen since, fifteen national Sevens championships in total. The figure is club-sourced; Rugby Nederland does not publish a year-by-year list of Sevens champions for cross-reference.
AAC's women have won the Ameland Beachrugby Festival (billed as the largest beach-rugby event in Europe and host of an Open Dutch Championship in the format) out on the Wadden Islands. An informal festival result, distinct from the Ereklasse titles, but proudly worn.
The club's headline honour is the AAC'er van het Jaar (Member of the Year). The awards run across these categories:
The fullest year-by-year winner lists preserved in the club's records run from 1991 to 2016; the awards have continued since.
AAC Rugby originated from the athletics club AAC. This heritage is reflected in the list below of honorary members, honorary chairpersons, and members of merit. Without the unwavering dedication of these individuals, AAC Rugby would not be the club it is today.
We are therefore deeply grateful for all the time, energy, and commitment that the members listed below have invested in AAC Rugby entirely on a voluntary basis and without any form of compensation. Their contribution has played an invaluable role in shaping and sustaining our club.
The clubhouse register was updated 27 January 2024. The section column preserves whether each appointment was recorded under Athletics, Athletics & rugby, or Rugby.
| Name | Appointed | Section |
|---|---|---|
| R. Sakes Jr. | 29 Jan 1920 | Athletics |
| J.H. van Lunteren | 16 Feb 1971 | Rugby |
| Name | Appointed | Section |
|---|---|---|
| R. Sakes Jr. | 23 Nov 1923 | Athletics |
| Kapitein P.W. Scharroo | 20 Feb 1925 | Athletics |
| A. Ras | 25 Dec 1929 | Athletics |
| E. Kossak | 7 Oct 1935 | Athletics & rugby |
| A.G. Glas | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| J.C. van Vught | 24 Aug 1954 | Rugby |
| H. Swaanswijk | 10 Feb 1964 | Athletics & rugby |
| H.F. Reinders | 10 Feb 1964 | Athletics & rugby |
| A.F.C. Toscani | 18 Dec 1964 | Athletics & rugby |
| J. Madsen Sr. | 18 Dec 1964 | Athletics & rugby |
| J.H. van Lunteren | 11 Aug 1970 | Athletics & rugby |
| P. Tolsma | 27 Aug 2003 | Rugby |
| H. Nederlof | 2 Oct 2006 | Rugby |
| G. de Vries | 22 Sep 2009 | Rugby |
| A. Stoffels | 5 Oct 2016 | Rugby |
| H. Knoop | 17 Jan 2018 | Rugby |
| P. van Wel | 17 Jan 2018 | Rugby |
| Name | Appointed | Section |
|---|---|---|
| P.D. Kamlag | 23 Nov 1923 | Athletics |
| A. Elderman | 25 Dec 1929 | Athletics |
| H. Eikema Sr. | 25 Dec 1929 | Athletics |
| P.D. Wijch | 10 Mar 1934 | Athletics & rugby |
| C.D. Berger | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| S.B. Bouman | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| A. Mieghout | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| W.F. Slijkhuis | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| A.F.C. Toscani | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| T.A. Boersma | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| R.J. Brasser | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| J. Madsen Sr. | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| M.G. van Riel Sr. | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| C.J. Scheermeyer | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| H.J. Schnijders | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| J.C. van Vught | 20 Jan 1950 | Athletics & rugby |
| H. Grewer | 10 Feb 1964 | Athletics & rugby |
| J.H. van Lunteren | 10 Feb 1964 | Athletics & rugby |
| H. Janssen | 12 Feb 1968 | Athletics & rugby |
| L. Höhle | 11 Feb 1969 | Athletics & rugby |
| J. van Lunteren Sr. | 10 Feb 1970 | Athletics & rugby |
| H. Bohlmeijer | 10 Feb 1970 | Athletics & rugby |
| B. Ziepzeerder | 12 Feb 1973 | Athletics & rugby |
| R. Baarda | 19 Feb 1979 | Athletics & rugby |
| K. Helder | 11 Jan 1988 | Athletics & rugby |
| J. Roelofs | 3 Sep 1997 | Rugby |
| R. van Caem | 4 Sep 2000 | Rugby |
| B. Swaager | 19 Jun 2013 | Rugby |
| L. Bogers | 20 Jan 2016 | Rugby |
| S. Wuurman | 17 Jan 2018 | Rugby |
A growing collection of old AAC photographs: the 1931 founding side, a 1970s lineout, and more as the club digitises its records. Each entry identifies the image, date and source where available.
AAC has senior men’s and women’s teams and seven youth age groups. Email the club to arrange a first training session.
