The Elephant is a new online video series that tackles the conversations New Zealanders often avoid. It dives into big, uncomfortable questions, looking beyond the echo chambers in search of a fearless and honest debate. This week in episode 4, hosts Miriama Kamo and Mark Crysell examine contact sports.
A growing international movement is calling for New Zealand to ban children under 14 from playing contact sports, amid mounting evidence of long-term brain damage caused by repeated head knocks.
The push comes as scientists warn of a clear link between contact sports and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a degenerative brain disease associated with depression, suicidality and dementia. Critics say exposing children to the risk amounts to “endorsed child abuse”.
Dr Chris Nowinski, a former WWE professional wrestler and co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation in the US, told The Elephant web series the science is stark.
“If I hit my own kid in the head five times, I go to jail. But when two children collide on a rugby field, the same damage happens – and we call it sport,” he said. “We need to stop hitting kids in the head, because CTE can start before they even understand the risks.”
The debate has intensified after the death of 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite earlier this year during a Palmerston North “Run It Straight” challenge, a viral tackling game described as rugby without rules or coaches.
Supporters of a ban say the evidence is overwhelming. A 2022 study in Britain found former international rugby players were more than twice as likely as the general population to develop dementia or motor neurone disease. Former All Black Carl Hayman was diagnosed with dementia and probable CTE at 40. Highlanders captain Shane Christie, who was forced to retire at 32 after repeated concussions left him with lasting neurological symptoms, died in August this year – the day before his 40th birthday – with suspected CTE. Tasman and Māori All Black halfback Billy Guyton’s death in 2023 was later confirmed by the NZ Sports Brain Bank as linked to CTE.
The challenge for families is that CTE can only be confirmed after death, when damaged brain tissue is examined. In the meantime, players may live with memory loss, mood swings and declining mental health, often without knowing the true cause.
Still, opponents argue contact sports build resilience and provide young people with belonging. World champion boxer Mea Motu told The Elephant her 12-year-old son, who plays rugby league, found strength and confidence through the game.
“My boy was struggling with his mental health and getting bullied. League gave him friends and even helped him with his learning. Why would I take that away?” she said.
New Zealand Rugby declined to appear on the programme but said in a statement that junior rugby has a “low-risk profile”. Citing ACC data, it argued a child would need to play 750 games on average to sustain a concussion and pointed to non-contact formats such as Rippa Rugby and the new T1 version.
Former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry said children want to play contact sport and that rugby has made changes to reduce risks, including lowering tackle heights.
Parents remain divided. Some told The Elephant they dread every sideline collision. Others said they would never allow their children into a game where repeated knocks to the head were part of the culture.
For coaches, the debate is equally fraught. Reverend Onosai Auva’a, a former New Zealand sevens representative who now mentors under-9 players in Papatoetoe, acknowledged his own history of concussions but said children could still play safely with the right training.
“There’s always risk,” he said. “But we can teach kids the core skills, so they’re protected on the field.”
The dangers, though, are not hypothetical. Christie had spoken openly about his ongoing symptoms since retiring, urging rugby to take the issue seriously. His death in August is suspected to be linked to CTE – a stark warning of the risks facing players. Experts warn there will be many more.
The science continues to mount. Research by neuroscientist Dr Alan Pearce, of the Australia Sports Brain Bank, shows the earlier athletes begin contact sports, the higher their risk of developing CTE. International experts are now calling for under-14s to stick to non-contact formats.
As Nowinski put it: “This is not a medical question, it’s a cultural one. Do we want to be the kind of society that gives children a brain disease?”
Watch, listen and join the conversation – new episodes drop every Thursday across digital, social and broadcast platforms. The Elephant is made with the support of NZ On Air.