‘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.

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: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

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