‘Wouldn't put my kids in it': SBW apologises for promoting Run it Straight after New Zealand tragedy
Sonny Bill Williams has apologised for sharing a video promoting 'Run it Straight' just days after a teenager in New Zealand died while playing a similar game with friends.
One of the modern game's hardest hitters, Williams played in the pre and post shoulder charge NRL era, and there are plenty of videos on social media of his most brutal tackles.
One user found a clip from 2004 of Williams putting a big hit on Penrith's Joel Clinton.
Williams shared the footage, to his 1.5 million followers with the caption: 'Playing run it straight before it was called run it straight…'
The 39-year-old later apologised after being made aware of the tragedy that took place in New Zealand earlier in the week.
Nineteen year old Ryan Satterthwaite died on Monday night after suffering a head injury while playing a private game of 'run it straight' with friends in Palmerston North.
Satterthwaite's uncle said he was inspired to give the viral online craze a try after seeing clips of it on social media.
'I put a video up last night, and I just want to ask for forgiveness of the young fulla that passed away,' Williams said in a follow up Instagram story on Saturday. 'Please excuse me for my insensitivity.
Kiwi teenager Ryan Satterthwaite passed away while playing a game of run it straight with friends. Picture: Supplied
'I did not know that had happened.
'I want to talk about it for a second right now.
'I've been asked to collab with the Run it Straight people, or a couple of people, and I haven't.
'Simply because I wouldn't put my kids in it.
'I have safety concerns, and that's just my thoughts on it.'
'Run it straight' has exploded in popularity over the last five months, with videos of big collisions going viral on social media.
The new 'sport' has proved controversial though, with dozens of concussion experts, former players, mental health professionals and even Prime Minister of New Zealand condemning the controversial game.
Williams was a bruising defender in his day. Picture:Although he has his reservations, Williams believes the trend will continue.
'I'd like weight classes and rules around head contact, but also age and experience classes as well,' he said.
'It's gonna carry on, because people love it. It's entertainment.
'But I'd like to see some heavily controlled safety restrictions come in.
'Once again to the family, my love and regards go out to you guys.'
Run it Straight touts itself as the world's newest combat sport.
It sees two competitors - one attacker with a rugby ball, and one defender - run directly at each other from opposite ends of a 20m 'battlefield.'
The huge collisions have seen scary knockouts, concussions and, in one instance, left a man convulsing on the ground.
Run it Straight has been widely criticised for the obvious concussion dangers, and several planned events in New Zealand have been cancelled.
Originally published as 'Wouldn't put my kids in it': SBW apologises for promoting Run it Straight after New Zealand tragedy
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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 11.28% 0:00 00:00 / 00:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 01:28 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Forgotten Film That Launched Margot Robbie's Career more more began when she was cast in two films in the late 2000s before she ever set foot in Ramsay St. Take a look at where Margot's career...... ... more Amid the backlash when Robbie – a three-time Oscar nominee – was cast, many took issue with the actress' age. At 35, the Queensland-born star is some 16 years older than Catherine. While it's certainly not uncommon for mature actors to portray younger characters, much of the tragedy of the novel lies in the premature nature of Catherine's death during childbirth, as Heathcliff lives on tormented to have lost her before they have a chance to be together. Others also felt Robbie didn't quite capture a 17th-century woman, with one critic claiming she looks 'straight out of Sephora'. 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