Stars set to turn out for charity rugby match
Blake Morgan is delighted to support the “Matt Ratana Foundation Marauders” to help raise money for charity.
A number of big names will be taking part in either a coaching or playing capacity as the Marauders take on a Rugby For Heroes XV. The Whānau Cup is a charity rugby match, which will take place at Shaftesbury Park in Bristol on Wednesday, 21 February.
“Whānau” is the Maori for “family” and wider cultural values.
The all-star cast will include former British & Irish Lions and England internationals Dean Richards, Danny Grewcock and Tim Stimpson, up against a team organised by Mike Tindall. A number of former English and Scottish internationals will play.
Tickets are priced at £10 for adults, and £5 for children (plus a small booking fee). Players will be arriving from 5:30pm with training sessions led by British Lions coaches at 6:30pm and kick-off is scheduled for 7:45pm.
Blake Morgan will partly sponsor the Marauders’ shirts and have a strong connection to the Matt Ratana Foundation, which was set up in honour of Matt Ratana, the policeman tragically shot dead in a custody suite at Croydon Police Station in 2020.
The Foundation was set up by friends and family and supports the design and delivery of school and community rugby initiatives, both nationally and internationally.
Matt used to play rugby at London Irish alongside teammate and friend, Blake Morgan Partner, Rob Lynch, who will be part of a group undertaking a charity walk from Reading Police Station to Bristol before the match. The 100-mile walk is scheduled to take four days.
Rob commented:
The foundation does some excellent work and anything we can do to help support it is excellent. The initiatives they do create opportunity and provide guidance for young people through rugby. Matt was an inspirational guy and the foundation, in keeping with his character, helps inspire change.
I’m very much looking forward to finishing the walk and enjoying the game and post-match celebrations. I will be thrilled if we can get as many people there as possible to support the foundation and Rugby For Heroes. It should be a great occasion.
As well as the pre-match training sessions, there will be Kiwi bagpipe lament just before kick-off, a raffle at half-time and an auction after the game.
Find out more about the Matt Ratana Foundation here and buy tickets for the Whānau Cup here. You can also make donations to the foundation here.
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