Former All Blacks player Sonny Bill Williams has apologised after he published a video on Instagram appearing to show support for a new viral collision sport.
‘Run it straight’ is a game that challenges two participants to run straight into each other and compete in full-contact collisions.
Players win by either tackling an opponent to the floor or by successfully breaking through the tackle as a ball carrier.
Last week, a 19-year-old man tragically died after participating in a private game of ‘run it straight’ with friends in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Ryan Satterthwaite is understood to have suffered a ‘serious head injury’ and later died in hospital.
His uncle also told Stuff that Satterthwaite and his friends were inspired to try the sport after seeing it on social media.
Sonny Bill Williams has apologised after he published a video on Instagram appearing to show support for a new viral collision sport
He posted this footage to social media, showing him charging into Penrith star Joel Clinton
Run it straight events have become popular in recent years for their big collisions (pictured) but health experts and government officials have issued concerns over the sport’s safety
Multiple health professionals have also raised concerns over the dangers of the sport while some ‘run it straight’ events in New Zealand have been cancelled.
Last week, Williams, who played both rugby union and league during his career, shared a clip from his playing days with Canterbury in 2004 on social media.
In the video, the former footy player was seen colliding with Penrith’s Joel Clinton during a match.
He captioned the video ‘old school what a hit’.
He added: ‘Playing run it straight before it was called run it straight.’
Williams has since taken to social media to apologise for his comments upon learning of Satterthwaite’s passing.
‘I put a video up last night, and I just want to ask for forgiveness of the young fulla that passed away,’ Williams said on his social media account.
‘Please excuse me for my insensitivity. I did not know that had happened.
New Zealand teenager Ryan Satterthwaite (picgtured) died after trying the trend with friends
The sport sees two competitors run at eachother and compete in huge collisions
‘I want to talk about it for a second right now.
‘I’ve been asked to collab with the Run it Straight people, or a couple of people and I haven’t.
‘Simply because I wouldn’t put my kids in it.
‘I have safety concerns and that’s just my thoughts on it.’
Williams believes the sport will continue to be played and added the changes he’d like to see implemented to ensure the safety of participants.
‘I’d like weight classes and rules around head contact, but also age and experience classes as well,’ he said.
‘It’s gonna carry on, because people love it. It’s entertainment. But I’d like to see some heavily controlled safety restrictions come in.
‘Once again to the family, my love and regards go out to you guys.’
Williams apologised for publishing the social media clip, before sending his condolences to Satterthwaite’s family
Some run it straight events that were due to take place in New Zealand have been cancelled in recent weeks
Another former All Blacks star Ardie Savea has also spoken out on the new sport, encouraging people to be safe, but like Williams, believes run it straight events will continue.
‘First and foremost, condolences to the young brother that passed away and his family,’ the former World Rugby Player of the Year said.
‘I obviously don’t want anyone getting hurt and losing lives.
‘It’s really hard to say, but I’d just encourage people to be safe.’
Organisers of the RUNIT Championship, one of the sport’s most high-profile competitions, have also spoken out following Satterthwaite’s passing.
‘We do not encourage any copying of the sport as it should only be performed under strict conditions,’ a spokesperson from the RUNIT Championship told Code Sports.
Both New Zealand Rugby League and New Zealand Rugby have been forced to distance themselves from the trend and events
‘RUNIT is planning future events over the coming months and will continue to educate our followers on the risks associated.’
A safety spokesperson for the RUNIT Championship, Billy Coffey, has previously told RNZ that the competition has several safety precautions in place, to reduce the risks associated with the sport. Competitors are required to wear gumshields and head gear is also optional.
‘We’ve got an ambulance on site… We’ve got liability. Everything’s covered,’ RUNIT safety spokesperson Billy Coffey told RNZ.
‘There’s waivers, medicals beforehand, medicals after. There’s an ambulance on site.’
Earlier in May, an event, which was being organised by RunItStraight24 at Auckland’s Williams Park Mangere was postponed.
It comes as the New Zealand government have raised concerns over the safety risks the sport presents and are seeking advice on the matter.
Sport NZ CEO Raelene Castle told The New Zealand Herald: ‘Both Sport NZ and High-Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ) are committed to fostering safe and inclusive activities and events for all New Zealanders.
‘We are working to facilitate a cross-agency discussion with those who have an interest in this area on what a Government approach to the operation of combat sport, including the emergence of activities and events like run it straight, in New Zealand could look like.’
Sport and Recreation Minister Mark Mitchell said: ‘I have made my concerns clear and have asked officials for advice in terms of what powers and actions can be taken by the Government to respond to unregulated activities and events that pose a significant level of risk.’
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has also urged young adults to take heed of the safety advice being issued by medical professionals.
‘When it’s happening at a 21st birthday party unofficially, that is not something the Government can solve through legislation or through regulation,’ Luxon said.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has expressed his concerns over the sport, which has grown in popularity following its explosion on social media
‘All I can say to young adults who are participating is you’ve got some personal responsibility in this. You’re hearing the advice from the police, from the medical fraternity, from the Government, from principals saying don’t do it.
‘To the adults that are involved in more formal organisation of it and are influencing it and leading this out on social media; I think you need to stop and I can’t be any clearer.
‘The evidence is that it’s a dumb thing to do and you should stop.’
Dr Rowena Mobbs, a neurologist and the founder and director of the Australian CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) Biobank, told Daily Mail Australia that the sport poses ‘higher risk scenarios’ compared to other contact sports.
‘It is a form of harm and it should be avoided,’ she said.
‘What we have is data worldwide in terms of concussion and CTE with tackling environments.
‘We know that a single traumatic brain injury can be devastating for an individual, leading to lifelong disability or death in some instances. This is likely to involve brain swelling or bleeding.’
‘In my opinion, this is a higher risk scenario than contact sports like the football codes,’ she said.
‘That’s because participants are running at full speed towards each other with a much greater force of impact than on the footy field.
‘Parents who have children engaging in this form of harm need to be acutely aware that there could be serious consequences, even death.’
New Zealand Rugby League have since echoed the warnings before distancing themselves from the sport.
‘NZRL is not associated with nor encourages participation in any events or collision sports like RunIt,’ the organisation said.
‘It’s concerning to see people putting themselves at risk of serious injury.’
