Our Wider MRRF Community
Matt Ratana had a way of making people feel like they belonged. It didn't matter whether you'd known him for twenty years or twenty minutes - on a rugby pitch, in a police briefing room, or just having a laugh at the dugout, he found room for you.
That's the spirit behind everything on this page. Beyond the Foundation's direct charity work, a whole network of teams, fixtures and walks now carries Matt's name forward - run in his memory, and, wherever they can, raising funds for MRRF. Some we organise ourselves. Others were built by clubs and individuals who wanted to keep something of him alive. Below is a guide to all of it: what it is, where it started, and how it's grown.
Community Fixtures
Every year, an invitational side takes the field wearing Matt's name - the MRRF Marauders, and their sister side, the MRRF Vixens - in the Whānau Cup. It started at Hazlewood, London Irish's training ground, against a side from England Police, in front of people who'd known Matt from every corner of his life. It's since travelled from West London to Bristol, and the players have ranged from Matt's old teammates to internationals and Lions who never knew him but wanted to be part of what he stood for.
Whānau – “family” - is the whole point. It's why we chose the name, and why the match has never really been about who wins.
The Marauders and Vixens are the sides that carry the Whānau Cup itself - invitational men's and women's XVs assembled each year to take on a fresh opponent in Matt's name. They started small: in 2021, at the very first Whānau Cup at Hazlewood, the Marauders faced England Police (falling 79-29) and the Vixens faced a Police Women's XV (43-19). By 2022, the fixture had grown teeth - the Marauders, coached by former England international Dean Richards and featuring caps like Delon Armitage and Nicky Little, took on England Police again, while the Vixens beat London Irish Emeralds 39-0.
The teams have kept evolving alongside the Cup itself. In 2025, the Marauders took the field against the MND Barbarians at Hartbury Stadium, as the Foundation partnered with My Name'5 Doddie Foundation to raise money and awareness for motor neurone disease alongside their own cause - proof that the Marauders' story isn't fixed to one opponent or one ground, but keeps finding new communities to stand alongside.
COMMUNITY FIXTURE SHOWCASE
The Whānau Cup, Captured
The Whānau Cup is more than a tournament - it's a day where the wider community comes together on the pitch, celebrating the spirit that Matt's legacy continues to inspire. From the first whistle to the final try, this showcase video captures the energy, the teams, and the people who make it happen.
The Ratana 7s
Ratana Toa and Ratana Kaha - our men's and women's sevens teams - represent the Foundation on the summer sevens circuit, season after season. They exist to do exactly what Matt did for so many young players: open a door into a version of the game built on pace, invention and teamwork, and make sure nobody wonders whether they're welcome.
Fixtures, results and the latest from the sevens circuit - see how Ratana Toa and Ratana Kaha are carrying Matt's spirit forward, season after season.
None of what we do would be possible without the generosity of our sponsors. Their support - whether financial, logistical, or simply showing up - means everything to our players, coaches, and community.
Buzzacott has been a consistent and engaged partner, showing up for our events time and again and backing both the Ratana Toa 7s and our Vixens programme. Their ongoing involvement - not just financial support, but genuine presence at our events and fundraisers - has made a real difference to the players and coaches who benefit from these programmes. We're incredibly grateful for their continued commitment.
Learn More About BuzzacottC.K. Transport's support of the MRRF Marauders helps keep our squad moving - literally and figuratively. Their backing plays a vital role in making sure our players can train, travel, and compete, and we're thankful for their continued generosity.
Learn More About C.K. TransportPenston Planning Services' support for the Marauders has been invaluable in helping the squad thrive. Their contribution reflects a real belief in what we're building, and we're proud to have them alongside us.
Learn More About Penston Planning ServicesEast Grinstead RFC remains home in every sense that matters - it's the club where Matt coached, the place he came back to week after week to pass on what he knew about the game. That connection is still what anchors us there today.
London Irish is where Matt first pulled on a shirt after moving to England - the club that gave him his start in the English game. It's fitting, then, that Hazlewood, their training ground, is also where the Foundation played its first fundraiser matches and took its first steps as an organisation.
Croydon RFC - in the community Matt served, and where we lost him - is where we work directly to grow their mini and junior sections, reaching young people in New Addington, Selsdon, West Wickham and Hayes. Croydon RFC generously donate their pitch space every week, allowing us to host our Matt Ratana Rugby Academy, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
Kia mārō mā Matiu - "keep on being determined and resolute, in the way Matt was" - is our ongoing walking project, linking the places and clubs where Matt was known and respected. It started as a one-off, from Worthing to London Irish. It's since taken walkers from Reading to Bristol, through the front doors of rugby clubs who'd never had anything to do with Matt or with us before a small group of walkers turned up on their doorstep, cold and glad to be there.
If you'd like to host a leg of your own, we'd love to hear from you.
Kia Mārō Mā Matiu
100 MILES, ONE PURPOSE: Get Inspired by Our 2024 walk from Reading to Bristol
One hundred miles, a handful of walkers, and clubs who didn't know what to expect when they opened their doors. Watch the story of this leg of Kia Mārō Mā Matiu - from the first step in Reading to the final mile into Bristol
Every leg of Kia Mārō Mā Matiu starts with someone saying yes. If that's a club, a route, or a community you know - get in touch.
Further afield: New Zealand
Matt served with the police in New Zealand long before he served in London, and his Māori heritage runs through everything we do - from our name for the Whānau Cup to the values behind our logo. In his memory, we support Northland Rugby Union and Rugby For Life in the region he came from, helping tackle child poverty the way Matt would have: through rugby, and through community.
Matt's police colleagues in New Zealand have found their own way to remember him too. Each year, officers from the Auckland City and Counties Manukau districts - the two districts where Matt served - meet on the rugby field to contest the Sgt Matt Ratana Memorial Trophy. The trophy carries a huia feather, the New Zealand Police symbol of remembrance, and blue and white ribbons marking both Auckland and East Grinstead RFC, where Matt was head coach.
Milestones
Inaugural match, 14 November — Auckland Police beat Counties Manukau Police at College Rifles, Auckland, 34-17
Counties Manukau Police turn the tables, beating Auckland Metro Police Rugby 25-8 to take the Cup
Ratana Cup contested again, keeping the tradition alive
Whether that's playing for Ratana Toa or Kaha, lacing up your boots for the Whānau Cup, walking a leg of Kia mārō mā Matiu, or simply getting in touch to tell us how Matt's crossed your path - there's room.
