NRL star Kotoni Staggs video adds fresh spotlight to dangerous ‘run it straight’ trend

An NRL star has been filmed taking part in the “run it straight” challenge with a Brisbane businessman.

Brisbane Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs was seen hitting Ben Yong of Rood Skin as part of what appears to be promotional content for the company.

Staggs, with teammates Adam Reynolds and Jesse Arthars, has been involved with promoting the skin care company previously.

In the video, Yong jokes with the 27-year-old that he is “about to fold [him],” with the professional league player responding: “Let’s go, brother.”

The pair then run at each other, with Staggs causing Yong to sprawl spread out on the grass.

“I’m definitely concussed after that,” Yong said.

NRL star Kotoni Staggs was seen participating in a "run it straight" challenge with a Brisbane businessman. Photo / Instagram

Staggs is unlikely to face any repercussions from his club for the video, as a Broncos spokesperson told Code Sports they were "aware of a staged video apparently promoting a range of men’s skincare products".

The challenge continues to make headlines after two participants in the Australian-based Runit League’s Salt Lake City event in November appeared to leave two participants unconscious after colliding with each other.

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A video of the incident showed a participant in a white shirt falling to the ground motionless with medics attending to him immediately, while a participant in a black shirt looks to go stiff with his arms slightly extended before he is attended to.

The video has amassed nearly 26.5 million views on Instagram and almost 950,000 likes.

Auckland’s Trusts Arena held two trial nights for the league in May last year, but backlash from neuroscientists and council workers over the sport’s safety, alongside the death of 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite in a copycat event in Palmerston North, led to the final being moved to Dubai.

Two participants at an American trial of Runit League appear to knock eachother out. Photo / Instagram

Vulangi Olosoni, who took home A$200,000 ($219,000) after winning the Runit Championship League’s final in June, apologised for his role in influencing young people to participate in the sport.

“It made me think about life. Imagine being so young and you could’ve been something, then that happens to you ... It’s pretty rough [and] I feel sorry for the family that is enduring that pain,” Olosoni said.

The origins of the challenge can be traced back to the 1940s, when the head coach of the Oklahoma Sooners college football team, Bud Wilkinson, created the “Oklahoma drill”, where two players wearing protective pads and helmets would run at each other, aiming to knock their opponent over.