Six Years On: What Continues to Grow From Matt's Legacy
Six years ago today, we lost Matt. But when we think about him now, we don't want the story to end with what we lost - we want to think about what came next. Since January 2024, TackleLondon has reached over 4,500 young people across London, Sussex and Yorkshire, built on a simple belief Matt held: that rugby could give someone confidence, somewhere to belong, and people who might otherwise never have met.
25 September 2026
Six years ago today, we lost Matt. Six years since Sergeant Matt Ratana was taken from his family, his friends, his rugby community, and the countless young people whose lives he had already started to change.
We could tell that story again - the loss, the shock, the grief that rippled far beyond his own club. But today, we'd rather tell you what came next.
Matt believed in people. He believed rugby could be more than what happens on a pitch - that it could hand someone their confidence back, give them somewhere to belong, and bring together people who might otherwise never have met. Six years on, that belief hasn't just survived. It's grown into something bigger than any of us could have imagined.
How far we've come
When our work with TackleLondon began, the ambition was to reach 525 young people. Since January 2024, we've reached more than 4,500 - across London, Sussex and Yorkshire.
But the number was never really the point. Behind it are thousands of individual moments: a training session someone almost didn't show up to, a school visit that turned into a Saturday morning fixture, a friendship that started on a touchline. Young people who found confidence they didn't know they had. Young people who found a team. Young people who found a trusted adult to talk to, or simply somewhere they wanted to be.
Our latest impact data reflects it in harder terms too - more than 1,300 young people showed improved relationships through our programmes, and 1,378 showed real, tangible improvements in mental health and wellbeing. That's the part that matters. This was never about getting more people playing rugby. It's about what rugby can make possible.
The numbers behind the story
Since January 2024, TackleLondon has reached 4,536 young people across 18 London schools, working alongside 7 local rugby clubs to turn a single session into something that lasts. That's roughly 2,900 boys and 1,600 girls - and behind every one of them is a different reason for needing somewhere like this.
738 of the young people we've worked with have special educational needs or disabilities. 60 were at risk of exclusion from school, or had already been excluded. 32 are young carers. 1,547 are growing up in low-income families. 81 have been affected by domestic violence. 21 have experienced homelessness. 21 are refugees or asylum seekers. 189 came to us already carrying mental health concerns, and 86 had been affected by or involved in violence, gangs or exploitation.
1,208 young people showed improved learning or work outcomes. 1,290 improved their engagement at school. 1,327 demonstrated improved relationships. 1,063 showed improved socio-emotional learning skills. 1,378 showed tangible improvements in mental health and wellbeing. 100% of partner schools reported a clear, visible impact on general student wellbeing.
That's not rugby keeping score. That's a generation of young Londoners finding somewhere they belong.
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A pathway, not just a programme
A young person might first meet rugby through their school. From there, they can move into after-school sessions and tournaments, and eventually into the Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation Academy - somewhere to keep playing, keep learning, and keep coming back. Because young people deserve positive places to spend their time outside school. Places where they make their own choices, meet people from different backgrounds, challenge themselves, and feel part of something that's theirs.
Learn About Our TackleLondon Pathway
Matt's community, growing stronger
One of the most special parts of the last six years has been watching how much bigger the community around Matt has become.
The Whānau Cup continues to bring people together in the spirit of family and connection, and the wider Ratana rugby family has kept growing through the teams, players, coaches and supporters who carry his name forward — the Ratana Toa & Kaha 7s, the MRRF Vixens, and the MRRF Marauders, all representing the Foundation and what it stands for, on and off the pitch.
None of that happens without people willing to give their time, energy and support. A special mention has to go to Pete Mitchell, whose commitment as a volunteer has become such an important part of our fixture events — often working behind the scenes, always willing to help, and with a huge amount of care for the people around him. We're incredibly grateful for everything he continues to do.
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"The murder of Sgt Matt Ratana was an event that I remembered very well when I was approached to be a director of MRRF, The opportunity to help develop a programme that has created a positive legacy from Matt's life has been a privilege. As he watches over us I think he will be proud of what we have done so far particularly knowing the impact we are having is growing."
And then there are the businesses who choose to stand behind these teams: Buzzacott, who continue to support the Ratana Toa 7s and MRRF Vixens, and C.K. Transport and Penston Planning Services, who help keep the MRRF Marauders running. Their support does more than put a name on a shirt - it creates the practical opportunities for players to train, compete, travel and come together as a community.
To every coach, volunteer, school, club, family, sponsor, funder and friend who has stood with us: thank you for making a difference in the lives of young people and your community.
You can be part of what comes next
We're proud of the last six years, but we're not finished. We're continuing to develop our coaching, strengthen the pathway for young people, and create more opportunities for them to take ownership of the positive places they spend their time. We want more young people to feel what so many already have - the feeling of walking onto a pitch and knowing you belong there.
If Matt's story means something to you, there are a lot of ways to help us carry it forward. You might make a donation, helping us keep sessions running. You might be a business exploring a partnership. You might have time, skills or connections to offer. Or maybe you've simply been following what we do and want to know more.
Whatever that looks like, we'd love to hear from you.