‘Perilous' Runit collision game slammed after New Zealand teen's death
WELLINGTON, June 19 — A New Zealand coroner today condemned a 'perilous' rugby-inspired sport in which competitors sprint and crash into each other without protective gear.
'Runit' competitors line up 20 metres apart and run directly at each other, with the winner being the person who 'dominates the collision'.
Coroner Bruce Hesketh issued the warning as a separate comment in his report into a club player who died after being tackled in a traditional rugby league game.
The Australian-based Runit Championship League set up a base in New Zealand this year.
It offers a NZ$20,000 (RM51,120) prize to winners of regional competitions and NZ$200,000 to the overall winner of the tournament.
Fuelled by social media, unsanctioned splinter events have been held in both Australia and New Zealand.
In May, 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died in New Zealand after suffering a serious head injury during one such event.
Hesketh, who is not looking into the teenager's death, said he was concerned about the Runit events.
'The competition has all the hallmarks of perilous activity that makes no attempt to mitigate head injury,' he said.
'There appears to be no governing body, the activity is not regulated and has no written publicly accessible rules of participation.
'Neither is there any information to players around the signs and dangers of concussion or concussion management.'
Hesketh said the goal in rugby union or rugby league is to avoid tackles, whereas the goal in Runit competition is the opposite.
'Furthermore, all the applicable team sporting bodies involved have invested heavily in concussion awareness, prevention, identity and management,' Hesketh said.
Runit events 'should not be recognised as an official sport', he said.
The Runit Championship League touts itself as the 'home of collisions'.
After Satterthwaite's death, New Zealand police warned people to be wary of the 'significant' injury risks.
In the Runit Championship League's first event in Auckland in May, two people were knocked out, and one man ended up having seizures after suffering a head injury.
The collision that led to the seizures was greeted with loud cheers from a crowd of more than 1,000 people.
The league organisers had planned to host the final event in Auckland but moved it to Dubai after calls for it to be banned in New Zealand.
The league is flying all competitors to the June 28 final at the Agenda Arena in Dubai. — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Cricket-India still dangerous without veteran trio, says Stokes
Cricket - International Test Match Series - First Test - England Press Conference - Headingley Cricket Ground, Leeds, Britain - June 19, 2025 England's Ben Stokes during the press conference Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough (Reuters) -England expect a tough challenge from India when their five-test series begins at Headingley on Friday, captain Ben Stokes said, even as the tourists enter a transitional phase following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin. The Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy will now be contested in all future test series between England and India. Previously, the series in England was played for the Pataudi Trophy, while the series in India was for the Anthony De Mello Trophy. The contest marks the start of the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle and India's first red-ball assignment under new captain Shubman Gill. England, who ended fifth, are also aiming for a reset after an inconsistent campaign. India are looking to rebuild under new leadership after finishing third in the previous WTC cycle, having reached the final in each of the two editions before that. "The pool of talent that Indian cricket has is just ginormous," Stokes told reporters on Thursday. "(Rohit, Kohli and Ashwin are) three massive names, three people who have done wonderful things for their country, but it's not going to be any easier for us because those three big names aren't here." England have won 23 and lost 12 tests under Stokes since he succeeded Joe Root as captain, and now begin a stretch with back-to-back five-test series against India and Australia. England beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 45 runs on day three of the one-off test last month but their earlier defeats have been heavy, including a 423-run loss to New Zealand in December despite a 2-1 win in series. They were defeated by 434 runs and an innings and 64 runs during their last five match series in India 18 months ago (4-1 loss). "We still want to be known as a team who play an exciting style of cricket," Stokes said. "(It's) not that we never wanted to win every game that we played, but it's changing what we say and how we say it. We want to be playing exciting games of cricket because we know that's what brings the best out of individuals and us as a team. But it's about winning." England have retained Ollie Pope over Jacob Bethell for the first test at Headingley, with Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse also returning to the squad. "(Pope) scoring 170 in his last test match (against Zimbabwe) has shown how well he's handled that extra scrutiny," Stokes said. "Since me and Baz (England coach Brendon McCullum) have been together, don't think we have lost a game when Chris Woakes played. Good to have him," he added. (Reporting by Shifa Jahan in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
Malay Mail
14 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Death cap dinner: Australian woman accused of mushroom murders says she fell ill too
SYDNEY, June 19 — An Australian woman accused of killing three lunch guests with toxic mushrooms fell sick from the same meal, her defence said today, rejecting claims she faked her symptoms. Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering her estranged husband's parents and aunt in July 2023 by spiking their beef Wellington lunch with death cap mushrooms. She is also accused of attempting to murder a fourth guest — her husband's uncle — who survived the lunch after a long stay in hospital. Patterson has steadfastly maintained her innocence during a seven-week-long trial that has made headlines from New York to New Delhi. As the trial came to its closing stages, defence lawyer Colin Mandy poked holes in the prosecutor's case, saying his client, too, fell ill after consuming the beef-and-pastry dish. Patterson's medical tests at the hospital revealed symptoms 'that can't be faked', including low potassium and elevated haemoglobin, he said. 'She was not as sick as the other lunch guests, nor did she represent she was,' Mandy said. The prosecution maintains Patterson did not consume the fatal fungi and faked her symptoms. 'She panicked' Mandy said his client lied in panic in the days after the lunch, trying to 'conceal the fact that foraged mushrooms went into the meal'. 'If that was found out, she feared she would be held responsible,' her defence said. 'She panicked when confronted with the terrible possibility, the terrible realisation, that her actions had caused the illness of people she liked.' Mandy said he was not 'making an excuse' for Patterson's behaviour after the lunch, but that it did not mean she meant to harm or kill her guests. Patterson originally invited her estranged husband Simon to join the family lunch at her secluded home in the farming village of Leongatha in Victoria state. But he turned down the invitation on the eve of the meal, saying he felt uncomfortable going, the court heard earlier. The pair were long estranged but still legally married. Simon Patterson's parents Don and Gail, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson, attended the lunch. All three were dead within days. Heather Wilkinson's husband Ian fell gravely ill but eventually recovered. The trial in Morwell, south-east of Melbourne, is in its final stages. — AFP
Malay Mail
15 hours ago
- Malay Mail
‘Perilous' Runit collision game slammed after New Zealand teen's death
WELLINGTON, June 19 — A New Zealand coroner today condemned a 'perilous' rugby-inspired sport in which competitors sprint and crash into each other without protective gear. 'Runit' competitors line up 20 metres apart and run directly at each other, with the winner being the person who 'dominates the collision'. Coroner Bruce Hesketh issued the warning as a separate comment in his report into a club player who died after being tackled in a traditional rugby league game. The Australian-based Runit Championship League set up a base in New Zealand this year. It offers a NZ$20,000 (RM51,120) prize to winners of regional competitions and NZ$200,000 to the overall winner of the tournament. Fuelled by social media, unsanctioned splinter events have been held in both Australia and New Zealand. In May, 19-year-old Ryan Satterthwaite died in New Zealand after suffering a serious head injury during one such event. Hesketh, who is not looking into the teenager's death, said he was concerned about the Runit events. 'The competition has all the hallmarks of perilous activity that makes no attempt to mitigate head injury,' he said. 'There appears to be no governing body, the activity is not regulated and has no written publicly accessible rules of participation. 'Neither is there any information to players around the signs and dangers of concussion or concussion management.' Hesketh said the goal in rugby union or rugby league is to avoid tackles, whereas the goal in Runit competition is the opposite. 'Furthermore, all the applicable team sporting bodies involved have invested heavily in concussion awareness, prevention, identity and management,' Hesketh said. Runit events 'should not be recognised as an official sport', he said. The Runit Championship League touts itself as the 'home of collisions'. After Satterthwaite's death, New Zealand police warned people to be wary of the 'significant' injury risks. In the Runit Championship League's first event in Auckland in May, two people were knocked out, and one man ended up having seizures after suffering a head injury. The collision that led to the seizures was greeted with loud cheers from a crowd of more than 1,000 people. The league organisers had planned to host the final event in Auckland but moved it to Dubai after calls for it to be banned in New Zealand. The league is flying all competitors to the June 28 final at the Agenda Arena in Dubai. — AFP
