Jack's position as Sapsford's favourite player was secured when the rugged All Black lock signed a piece of paper for the then youngster's dad on an airplane one day. That note (addressed to Ollie) went straight on to the budding rugby player's bedroom wall.
"There were always bikes on the farm. I just loved riding motorbikes and racing was pretty fun and I quite liked the competitive edge.''
Ollie Sapsford - a forward for the All Blacks Sevens side and an outside back for Hawke's Bay Magpies. Photo / NZME
Sapsford also had plans to see a bit of the world, and headed for Western Australia where he worked on a farm, planting and harvesting. One day, his boss hit him up about playing Aussie Rules.
"My boss came up to me and said "do you reckon you could play footie?" "I was like AFL [Australian Football League]?"
The boss "dragged me along to training the first week and then pretty much every week from there I was in training every Tuesday and Thursday", Sapsford says.
Training was 90 minutes away, twice a week.
"I honestly loved it. I had to learn to kick pretty quick but I loved the high balls, the camaraderie around it, it was just different."
A young Ollie Sapsford idolised All Black Chris Jack and may well end up sharing the same occupation as the big lock. Photo / Paul Taylor
After the WA stint Sapsford came home, played Heartland rugby for Mid Canterbury and got picked up by the Wellington Rugby Academy.
He moved to the capital, where he played club rugby, and trained with the Wellington Lions squad, but never quite managed to break into the A side.
Along the way he met Josh Syms, the Magpies forwards coach and among other things, a former Wairarapa Heartland coach, who gave him a call after the season ended.
"So I spoke to him and spoke to Oz [Magpies head coach Mark Ozich] and they really sold it to me. I am super happy I made the decision to come up.''
His first experience in front of the home crowd fans was a special one.
"It was unreal, I'll never forget, I got an intercept and the crowd just roared and I had never heard the crowd roar [like that] before. They are so passionate and get behind the team, it is so cool to be part of.''
The Hawke's Bay move also put him on the radar for sevens. After playing as a bit of fun, at 1.91m and 104 kg the big winger stood out as a potential forward in the streamlined version of the game.
"I quite like the physicality, the running hard and the tackles and stuff so they [All Blacks Sevens selectors] saw me as a forward."
Sapsford's selection in the All Blacks Sevens this year for a shot at the Olympics has a connection to his AFL experience "100 per cent", he says.
"AFL, probably eight out of the 10 kicks that you take are all high balls, aerials, so I gained a lot of confidence with catching balls above my head.
"Sevens is so much about getting that ball back, off the kick-off, it's attacking play, so that definitely helped with my selection for sure."
With the 2020 Olympics postponed, Sapsford's short-term focus is on the Mitre 10 Cup and the Magpies.
Ollie Sapsford: There is great camaraderie within the 2020 Magpies squad.
He can't wait to rip into the upcoming season.
"We have a really good bunch of lads, quite a lot of the boys are back from last year which is good.''
One day, he may still end up emulating his childhood hero Chris Jack, who has found a post-rugby niche as a successful builder.
"I've got my trade and I think I will do that moving forward. Hopefully I still have a few years of rugby left in me and then, I enjoy the building industry and would definitely like to work my way up in that."
