'He'll be remembered as one of the all-time greats'

A rugby captain who died last month has been remembered as "one of the all time greats" at a memorial service.

Matt Salter captained Bristol Bears from 2004 to 2008, making 161 appearances for the club. He died at the age of 49 on 7 March after having a heart attack.

Hundreds of people attended a public service at Bristol Cathedral to honour the sportsman earlier.

"He was a very tough player," said Bears historian Mark Hoskins. "One of those people who never took a backwards step."

"I can remember him going off with his head covered in blood and returning minutes later to replace another player - he was a really special leader."

During his career, Salter was named in Guinness Premiership Dream Team in 2006.

He went on to take a role at Clifton RFC and became director of rugby at Clifton College.

Hoskins said: "He would have touched hundreds of lives during his teaching, he influenced so many young people."

Richard Hill, former director of Bristol Rugby said: "He really was a lovely man, he wasn't interested in material things he was interested in people and helping them, so many admired him."

Alex Brown is the CEO of Gloucester Rugby and a former Bristol and England player. He met Salter in 1999 and they were each other's best men.

"It's huge loss not just for the rugby community but the Bristol community," said Brown.

"He led the team to promotion which was fantastic and continued that not just as a player but a coach."

He added that Salter was "a real builder of people" by "wanting the best out of them".

Former Bristol and England rugby player Mark Regan MBE was also at the memorial.

"On the field he was a warrior and off the field a great friend," he said.

"I'm in awe of the guy and I will miss him severely."

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