Biggleswade RUFC

Rugby might have finished for the Christmas break, but don’t forget we’re kicking off the New Year with our big fun match in memory of two club heroes.

Saturday 3 January is the Matt King & Ivan Couchman Memorial Match, a charity tribute game honouring courageous and inspirational former Biggy player Matt, OBE, and Ivan Couchman, brilliant coach and mentor to Matt and many others.

The Couchman Kings team, made up of former Biggy players and teammates from Matt and Ivan’s other clubs at higher and professional levels, will play a Biggleswade side and enjoy an afternoon of rugby, friendship and fun in honour of two great men. KO is 12pm - come along and watch!

Charlie Beech, Matt’s friend, fellow player, and instigator of the fun memorial match, said: “The club would love to see as many people as possible turn out to show their support and admiration for Matt and Ivan - true legends.

“Matt and I started playing at Biggy within a week of each other, played all the way from U7s through U16s together, including rugby league in the summers and representative teams. I went professional with rugby union, he went professional with rugby league and in his first ever game that's when he broke his neck and was paralysed from the neck down - truly awful. 

“But what he did afterwards was amazing - he went on to raise thousands of pounds for people with injuries like his own; got a first class honours law degree; became an inspirational speaker, mouth-artist, author, and disability rights activist; and did amazing things like skiing and completing the New York Marathon in his wheelchair, receiving an OBE, and getting married and becoming a dad. He achieved more in his 33 years than most people can even dream of!

Charlie continued: “As to Ivan, he was our coach from when we were about 12. He taught us far more than just rugby - his family became our family as we became his lads, he took us on tours around the world, he taught us all the rugby songs and he taught us how to behave the rest of the time. 

“So many lads had their lives changed by him - there’s a few who want to read tributes to him after the game He turned out at Matt's last memorial game at the age of 72, but he sadly passed earlier this year, so now we want to honour him alongside Matt.”

He finished: “These two deserve to be remembered in the best way we know how - a cracking game of rugby amongst friends. Please come and support us!”