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‘Wouldn't put my kids in it': SBW apologises for promoting Run it Straight after New Zealand tragedy
‘Wouldn't put my kids in it': SBW apologises for promoting Run it Straight after New Zealand tragedy

Mercury

timean hour ago

  • Entertainment
  • Mercury

‘Wouldn't put my kids in it': SBW apologises for promoting Run it Straight after New Zealand tragedy

Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News. 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

Statue to honour local war hero
Statue to honour local war hero

Otago Daily Times

time2 hours ago

  • Sport
  • Otago Daily Times

Statue to honour local war hero

An Oamaru war hero killed at the Battle of the Somme may finally take pride and place in his hometown. The New Zealand Remembrance Army (NZRA) plan to honour Victoria Cross recipient, Sergeant Donald Forrester Brown with a life-size bronze statue. Sgt Brown was the first VC recipient for heroism on the Western Front, and the only man from North Otago to be honoured out of 23 New Zealand VC medal winners. New Zealand Remembrance Army member Barry Gamble, who initiated the project, said the plan to build a statute of Sgt Brown was to pay tribute to a local and national hero. "It's all about recognition, honouring this man, who is a true blue Kiwi farmer, who spent most of his short life working the land and then bravely fought for his country." On the opening day of New Zealand's Somme campaign in France, on September 15, 1916, Brown charged and captured key enemy machine-gun positions, helping New Zealand forces to push through German lines. During another attack two weeks later, on the Somme front, Brown told his men to take cover and took two trenches on by himself, chasing the enemy down before he was killed by machine-gun fire at the age of 26, Mr Gamble said. The 1916 Somme offensive was one of the largest and bloodiest battles of the First World War (1914-18). The posthumous VC award for gallantry was presented to his father, Robert Brown in Oamaru by the Governor-General, Lord Liverpool in 1917. Mr Gamble said the statue would provide educational, cultural and commemorative value to the Oamaru community and visitors and preserve Sgt Brown's legacy for generations to come. "All the other towns have honoured their Victoria Cross winners with statues and paintings, why not Oamaru ... it's something that we can be really proud of." A former student of Waitaki Boys' High School and a Totara farmer, Sgt Brown was born in 1890 in Dunedin and moved to Oamaru with his family in the mid 1890s, where his father set up a successful drapery business and department store which was eventually named the Polytechnic. Making early sacrifices to enlist with the army, Brown sold his farm on Waiareka Rd in Totara, and gave away his dog, and his horse "and away he went", Mr Gamble said. Your Loving Son, Don, a book of letters he wrote home to his father from the war, was published in 1998 by Sgt Brown's niece Eunice P. Brown. In April, 1916 while stationed in Egypt he wrote about the comfort of his fellow soldiers from the Otago Infantry Regiment in the 10th North Otago Company and their plan to return home. "Its just great the number of Oamaru boys one finds here, and one and all are certain, old Oamaru is quite good enough for us in future." Mr Gamble said despite a photo of Sgt Brown in the Waitaki District Council chambers and his name on the honours board at Waitaki Boys' High School he had "largely been forgotten by Oamaru". "It's quite sad because we've got a proud heritage of buildings, and we've got some of the best memorial statues in the country, like the Hall of Memories." Mr Gamble has driven many projects to honour soldiers, including helping to restore the graves of former military personnel in the Waitaki district. He is also the Oamaru RSA local support adviser. The costing for the monument would be about $160,000, he said. Bob Brown, of Rakaia, the great-nephew of the war hero, was thrilled to be involved and donated $10,000 towards the project, Mr Gamble said. "They were really, really stoked that someone was wanting to do this and they're right behind me." Former New Zealand Army artist Matt Gauldie will be commissioned to create the statue. Gauldie produced a miniature paying close attention to details, at $2000 for the purposes of fundraising. "He's very clever ... a lot of work has gone into this to make sure that he's got all the right war equipment on," Mr Gamble said. NZRA put $1500 towards the concept plan and the Waitaki District Council are in support of the project, he said. Mr Gamble said they estimated the project would take a year and a half to complete and he will be seeking donations from the public and organisations. A final site for the public statue is yet to be determined. The Victoria Cross is the highest award in the British decorations system and is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British and Commonwealth armed services.

Wānaka disability community 'left out'
Wānaka disability community 'left out'

Otago Daily Times

time2 hours ago

  • General
  • Otago Daily Times

Wānaka disability community 'left out'

Bailley Unahi. Photo: ODT Files People with disabilities say they have not been considered or consulted in Wānaka's town planning, leading them to be disadvantaged. An Upper Clutha Community Board member and several Wānaka residents with life-altering disabilities said there had been little consultation around access and equipment for those who needed it. In 2008, Bailley Unahi was on a Dunedin balcony listening to Kiwi band Six60 when the balcony she and her friends were on collapsed and she was crushed beneath it. "I looked up to see what the noise was. I didn't even realise what it was, didn't have time to make any move and then it crushed me — the balcony with all the people on it." Since then, she has been in a wheelchair. But not one to let barriers hold her back, she moved to Wānaka to pursue a career in occupational therapy and take up ski racing. "I still want to do all the things other people can do. I think in this area, the people who are involved in the planning of the facilities aren't aware of what needs to be done or how to do it." As part of her job, she is helping others adjust to life-altering accidents that have left them with physical and intellectual disabilities. From what she had heard and in her own experience, the council did not speak to the community enough about what was needed to live a relatively regular life. "I really want those living in the area and travelling here to be able to experience the same thing everyone else can." Her first goal is to get more information online about where in town has access for those who need it — be it eateries, accommodation, sports or trails. Miss Unahi said she had contacted several businesses as well as the Queenstown Lakes District Council and Lake Wānaka Tourism, but had heard nothing back. A council spokesperson told the Wānaka Sun it was considering a review of its disabilities policy and that would involve community feedback. The council's current approach was to support and advocate for the development of a more inclusive and diverse community. "It will respond to the needs of disabled people living in and visiting our district, with a focus on removing barriers to their full participation in our community, and acknowledges and respects the diversity within the disability community," they said. Miss Unahi said Wānaka was not user-friendly for those with disabilities. While the streets and some trails were well thought out, there were public facilities and private businesses with no wheelchair access. For example, the Lake Wānaka Centre has no upstairs access for wheelchair users. "There are areas to improve. From a wheelchair users' perspective I manage most places but there is always events upstairs at places we cannot access. I am excluded from those events." When she moved to Wānaka several years ago, she found the information to be lacking and all research had to be done herself. Miss Unahi would take a friend with her on trails, as a fall-back option in case she "got stuck". "We want to experience our backyard, but we are not really considered and it is isolating. Even accessing the lake is a common frustration for all of us. So you just don't go. "Consultation with people that have had these lived experiences isn't happening. The big barrier for us is information." Community board member Linda Joll was also frustrated by the lack of consideration given to those who needed it. She said disability groups in Wānaka had approached the board for safer crossings and she was disappointed that Bike Wānaka was given priority by the board to plan stage four of the lakefront development plan. Priority had been given to active travel and cars, she said. "There should be full consultation required with all community on this jewel in the crown for the lakefront, which must include iwi, Wai Wānaka, Heart of Wānaka, the disability groups, business owners, property owners. None of these groups are aware of this dissecting of the plan." Board chairman Simon Telfer said council policies around accessibility covered off consultation. "I don't think when they're doing planning they can necessarily go out and consult with individual groups each time. I assume the policies are being followed as opposed to every time they're going out and consulting with a group. "Accessibility and ensuring that we have infrastructure that's inclusive for everyone is a real priority for the board, so that's always taken into account. Mrs Joll asked the mayor about consultation for other groups but she had not yet received a response. Meanwhile, Queenstown Lakes District Deputy Mayor and Wānaka resident Quentin Smith, who is a paraplegic after a 2008 paragliding accident, said Wānaka was more disability friendly than most. "I would say Wānaka isn't bad in terms of accessibility, mostly because these are new buildings. We have grown so rapidly so there is not a lot of older buildings." He had little trouble in the town, as the pathways, parking and often buildings were accessible for someone in a wheelchair. However, the council was open to feedback. "The attitudes are generally very accommodating and supporting and any shortfall in the provision is a result of not knowing there is a problem than opposed to not being able to come up with a solution." Mr Smith is a member of the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust and was instrumental in making improvements to the town's active networks and pathways for all users. This work included flattening trails and removing unnecessary barriers. Mr Smith admitted the town's main place to gather, The Lake Wānaka Centre, lacked good facilities for those with disabilities. "There are cases we can do better and in time we hope to be able to build a lift." Mountaineer and published author Dave Vass has been in a wheelchair since 2015 after a mountaineering accident in Fiordland resulted in incomplete tetraplegia. He said in the 25 years he had lived in Wānaka, the town had improved for people in need of wheelchair accessibility. "It's a mixed bunch. Some of the tracks are fantastic, the new tracks around Mt Iron into town are quite good. Once they hit town you have to rely on footpaths, but that has all been improved." Vass said businesses could pay more attention to detail. "Eating out is a classic one, if you are in any kind of power chair you don't fit under tables, it is only 100mm difference for us. Wānaka is terrible for that, no-one caters specifically for wheelchairs; they are crowded places also. "When those things don't happen and when it becomes a bit hard it means you don't go to places and wheelchair people aren't seen to be out, it can get too hard."

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