Warriors distance themselves from ‘run it straight’ trend

The Runit Championship League is under fire after a teenager suffered a fatal injury playing a version of the game. Photo / Runit AU

• The rugby league community is distancing itself from the controversial “run it straight” trend.
• Ryan Satterthwaite, 19, died from a head injury while playing a version of the game.
• Former All Black Saveatama Eroni Clarke urges young people to avoid the high-risk game.

By RNZ

The rugby league community is ensuring it distances itself from the controversial new collision trend known as “run it straight”.

Calls are growing louder to ban the game after a teenager’s death in Palmerston North.

Ryan Satterthwaite, 19, died after suffering a catastrophic head injury while playing a version of the game.

Though several copycat leagues have appeared, the pre-eminent and most popular is the Runit Championship League.

Current Warriors halfback Chanel Harris-Tavita has appeared in promotions for Runit, advertised as a “special guest” for the first night of trials in Auckland.

When RNZ contacted the club for comment, a spokesman insisted the Warriors had nothing to do with the organisation.

Coach Andrew Webster said he is not across the new collision craze.

Warriors head coach Andrew Webster says he's not well-informed on the controversial game.

“I’m not a social media man so I don’t know too much about it.”

Asked whether it could affect perceptions of the NRL, Webster said he didn’t want to make an uneducated statement.

“I honestly don’t know enough about it, any contact sport should be done in a safe environment, but I’m focused on our game.”

Former Warrior and current club mentor Manu Vatuvei spoke at the second night of trials.

“I know a lot of people hate it, and a lot of people love it. I’m one of those people who love it,” he said at the time.

Other notable athletes to have previously endorsed RunIt include current UFC light heavyweights Carlos Ulberg and Navajo Stirling.

‘Don’t do it, there’s too much risk involved’ – former All Black

Former All Black Saveatama Eroni Clarke, the Pasifika engagement manager for NZ Rugby told Checkpoint that Satterthwaite’s death was a tragedy.

Regulations that focus on health and safety need to be put in place, Clarke said.

"Don't do it," warns NZ Rugby's Pasifika engagement manager Eroni Clarke after the tragic death of a Palmerston North teen. Photo / Getty Images

His message to young people is: “Don’t do it, there’s too much risk involved, we’ve seen now the extreme of it and the high risk that it brings – head trauma and other things that it brings as well.

“I think about my own children and I think about Caleb and I’m thinking about his brothers and I’m thinking well certainly if there is a contact sport that I want them to play it’s rugby.”

Young people who want to play a contact sport should join rugby, where there is good coaching and safety is in mind, he said.

His message to high-profile players is: “We can’t be seen to support something like this.”