Former NRL star George Burgess, 33, takes up violent new sport slammed by experts
The former Wigan Warriors prop, 33, will compete for AUS$20,000 at the RUNIT Championship League in Melbourne this week, The Sun reports.
Burgess, who originally hails from West Yorkshire in England, retired from rugby for a second time last year.
The 33-year-old spent the majority of his career in Australia playing for South Sydney.
'Run it straight' is a simple sport involving two competitors, who charge at each other at high speed on a 20-metre-long 'battlefield'.
One player holds a rugby ball while the other attempts to tackle the runner, resulting in bone-crunching hits.
RUNIT's rules state that 'victory belongs to the one who dominates the collision'.
The sport has been criticised by health professionals, including leading neuroscientist Dr Alan Pearce.
'I was pretty gobsmacked, speechless actually when I saw this competition idea starting because for me as someone who has seen hundreds of footballers and rugby league players who are now struggling with brain injury and long-term impairment it is really troubling,' Dr Pearce told news.com.au.
You can watch the 'run it straight' challenge in the player above
'I just cannot understand how they could take the most violent aspect of sport and just turn it into a spectacle where the objective is just to try and knock out or hurt your opponent.
'In a lot of these other sports (such as NRL, AFL and rugby union) you're trying to avoid direct contact whereas this is purely running at each other, it's insanity.'
RUNIT plans to hold an event in New Zealand next month.
The hope is then to expand to the UK, USA, and Saudi Arabia later this year.
Organisers have hit back over claims the sport is dangerous, but did slam the running of unlicensed 'backyard' events.
A RUNIT spokesperson said, via The Daily Mail: 'Yes, a knockout can potentially occur, but this is not the aim of our game.
'The aim is to dominate contact - whether you bump someone over or land a good, clean hit.
'We disallow tackles below the waist and above the shoulders. A knockout, like any other combat sport, is a by-product.
'Unlike any other combat sport, however it is not our aim.
'Athletes are screened by a doctor pre and post matches, medics are present, and medical waivers inclusive of drug and blood tests are completed prior to any participation.'
Fans have been left baffled by the new sport as it prepares for a showcase in New Zealand.
Commenting on a viral video of a competitor being KO'd in an unlicensed event, one fan sighed on X: 'Dumbest game ever.'
Another said: 'This just looks super dangerous.'
The RUNIT organiser added in response: 'The video we felt was horrendous and backyard events such as that one was very disappointing to see.'
- This article first appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission
Originally published as 'Dumbest game ever': Former NRL star, 33, takes up violent new sport slammed by experts
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