Dean Richards first role since leaving Newcastle Falcons confirmed

“It’s a great honour to be the head coach of the Matt Ratana Marauders XV for our match against England Police XV." said the Ratana Foundation in a statement.

“I was saddened by what happened to Matt and, as a former police officer, have been deeply moved by the creation of the Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation in his name and with his values. I am proud to support the foundation.

“Matt’s evident enthusiasm for rugby and his love of life is apparent from the testimony of his family and friends. Through the foundation and in Matt’s memory we can help others through the sport Matt loved so much and ensure Matt has a lasting legacy.

“I’m very much looking forward to the matches and entertainment on Saturday, August 20, at Hazelwood the home of London Irish training centre and London Irish Amateur RFC in Sunbury-on-Thames. 

"It will be another wonderful occasion and I hope to see many of our rugby community, families and other supporters down there to enjoy the action.”

Below, we look at six other players from down the years who worked for the 'Old Bill'.

Richards was schooled at John Cleveland College, in Hinckley, and was a police constable for Leicestershire Constabulary between the 1980s and 1990s before English rugby union became professional. He had a long playing career with Leicester Tigers, and played 48 times for England and six times for the British & Irish Lions. The 55-year-old is now the boss of Premiership side Newcastle Falcons.

He served with the Metropolitan Police from 1985 to 1989, before transferring to Bedfordshire Police. The 208 cm (6 ft 10in) tall Bayfield made his England debut in 1991, and although he was omitted from the 1991 World Cup squad, he was a part of the 1992 Five Nations Grand Slam winning side. He went on the 1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand, and was part of the 1995 World Cup squad. Since retirement, Bayfield has worked as a presenter for BT Sport, an after-dinner speaker, and has appeared in all of the Harry Potter films playing the half-giant Hagrid, as Robbie Coltrane's body and stunt double.

He played for England 55 times and was known as the "Blackpool Tower", as a result of being 6 feet 8 inches tall and a police officer with Lancashire Constabulary in Blackpool. He later established a second-row partnership with fellow police officer Paul Ackford.Embed from Getty Images

The lock is a former English rugby union international who played lock forward. He was formerly an inspector in the Metropolitan Police, and is now a columnist for The Telegraph. He went on the 1989 British Lions tour to Australia, where he played in all three tests.Embed from Getty Images

He is a retired Australian rugby union player who played for the Wallabies 38 times between 1989 and 1999, and earned over 100 caps for the Queensland Reds during his rugby career. Crowley also worked as an undercover police officer with the Queensland Police Force, specialising in busting drug-rings on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Sitting down at the start of 2017 once he knew Glasgow did not plan to keep him under new boss Dave Rennie, and uninspired by the new offers on the table, he made a radical decision to join the Italian police force.