UK rugby community gathers to remember Kiwi cop Matt Ratana a year after his death

Matt Ratana was shot and killed in September last year as he was taking a handcuffed suspect into custody.

Matt Ratana’s colleagues will get the chance to say a final farewell over a year after he was fatally shot at a south London custody centre.

This comes after the UK's rugby community gathered to remember Ratana over the weekend.

In a statement, the Met Police confirmed a special memorial service for police sergeant Matt ‘Matiu’ Ratana is to be held on Monday, November 29.

"Matt has very much been in our thoughts over the last year, as we grieve for him, but also as we celebrate his life. His legacy lives on with his family and friends from the Met, rugby, and beyond," Metropolitan Police Service Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said.

She said the Covid-19 pandemic meant the Met were unable to "mark his death with a force funeral in the way that we would have wished".

"I said at the time that when restrictions were no longer in place, we would hold a full memorial service that would allow us to come together in Matt's memory.

All Blacks legend Zinzan Brooke lead a haka for rugby fanatic Sergeant Matt Ratana.

"For many people the anniversary of Matt’s murder and National Police Memorial Day will be a time of particular sadness and reflection. We will never forget all of our fallen colleagues and will remember and honour them forever."

Saturday marks one year since the 54-year-old was shot in the chest as he prepared to search a handcuffed suspect in Croydon.

Police officers and staff across the force will take a moment to remember him in a minute of silence at 11pm NZT.

Over the weekend, some of the UK's rugby community gathered at East Grinstead Rugby Club in West Sussex, where Ratana was head coach, to remember him. 

Before the rugby matches, some laid flowers at the foot of a memorial silhouette of the 54-year-old, alongside wreaths with the words "Matt Ratana Unsung Hero" and the Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation on them.

The anniversary coincided with the first game of the rugby season. 

People gathered at the East Grinstead Rugby Club in West Sussex to remember their head coach.

In attendance was Ratana's partner, Su Bushby, who could be seen wiping away tears as the club's first rugby team was traditionally welcomed onto the field by the Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club.

Bushby could later be seen laying a bouquet of flowers wrapped in red gossamer with a black ribbon at the feet of his silhoutte. 

Jack Andrews, captain of the club's first rugby team who was handpicked by Ratana, told 1News Ratana had been a mentor and a friend, who did not care about the backgrounds of his players and who had a "heart" for the youngsters in the team. 

Bruce Simpson of the Ngāti Rānana London Māori Club described Ratana as "such a wonderful man".

He said Ratana had brought taha Māori to the rugby club and had embodied all of the virtues of Māoridom.

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