Watkins lost his brave battle to a rare form pelvic cancer on 7 March at the age of 41. He won 18 Welsh caps and played for Newport, Dragons, Scarlets and Gloucester.
Due to restrictions on public gatherings during the current climate only close members of his family will be able to attend what would otherwise have been a massive funeral at Thornhill Crematorium in Cardiff.
That’s why former Wales No 8 Popham posted his appeal on Twitter for his ex-team mates and all his fans to take part remotely in the funeral.
Please watch and share ❤️🏉https://t.co/HbRvsHkhBg pic.twitter.com/fIxxqEaLAa
— Alix Popham (@AlixPopham) March 29, 2020
“I just wanted to put something out there about Matthew J Watkins’ funeral, which is on Tuesday at 2pm,” said Popham in a video post on his Twitter account.
“With everything that is going on with the coronavirus only 10 members of his family are allowed to attend his funeral. I know there would have been thousands or family, friends and supporters who would have turned up because of how much Matthew meant to them.
“I want to put an idea out there that everyone tunes into the link and wears a club tie, pin badge or jersey just to show how much Matthew meant to them.
“If you can then post a picture on line of you wearing your tie, pin badge or jersey, along with a message with a story about Matthew, or how you came across him, or something funny that happened, because there was lots of that when you were in the presence of MJ.
“If you could do that it would be amazing for his wife Stacey and his boys (Sior and Tal), as well as his family, to read the messages of what he really meant to you.”
A Just Giving charity page in his name has raised more than £26,000 for Velindre Hopsital, in Cardiff, where he received treatment from 2013. There is also a charity page for St David’s Hospice Care being organised by his family.
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