George Burgess: Former NRL player on his successful Runit Championship League debut

The infamous Runit Championship League made its debut in Auckland this week and one former NRL star is defending the event.

The sport involves rival participants running straight at each other at full force - and many leading neuroscience experts have condemned it and outlined the risks.

George Burgess says the competitors know what they're doing and they're not aiming to hurt each other.

"Every sport that we have in our society is to remind us of our warrior past and to simulate warfare in a safe way - and that's exactly what we do."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now they've held their run at event last night at
Trust Serena in Auckland. More than a thousand people attended.
Two of the guys running at each other needed medical
attention afterwards. Former RABBITO George Burgess is here for the
competition height George, How are those guys all right?

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Yes they are, they're doing very well. The two boys
who you spoke about who got head knocked there, we
had the best medical care. We got them straight into
the hospital and they've got twenty four hours. We're watching
them for twenty four hours around the clup.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
Have you got concussion?

Speaker 2 (00:39):
I'd say so. Yeah, it was a pretty big hit.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
Dude, Why do you guys? Can you explain this to me?
Why do you do this? What's the point of this?

Speaker 2 (00:47):
Hey? Look a sport. We're in a sport, and every
sport that we have today in our society is to
remind us of our warrior past and to simulate warfare
in a safe way. That's exactly what we do. Sometimes
things might happen like that, but it's not. It's not
what we set out to do. And that the competitors

(01:08):
know what they're doing and in comparison to many other sports,
we're actually on the very last scale of of in
that area.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
But hold on a second, how can you say it's
not what you set out to do. You're literally two
dudes running at each other.

Speaker 3 (01:22):
The courses is going to happen.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yes, but if you use the right technique, which is
what we we ab to implement with our athletes, using
your shoulder with the right technique, you know, it's a skill.
It's a skill.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
Are the athletes or are they just bokes you pluck
off the road?

Speaker 2 (01:41):
No, they are. You saw the difference last night with
the athletes. You know, it's a skill to be able
to use your shoulder like that. And as we progress
and the game.

Speaker 3 (01:53):
Some people just do that when they're working down the side.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
Sorry, sorry, do you mind just let me finish? So
it's it's it's a technique to be able to use
your shoulder in that way. And as we progress every
this we're only on our second show, right, so as
we progressed, they are going to get more trained on
a higher level.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Okay, George, what about this is resembles warfare? And what
what war did? We have dudes running at each other.

Speaker 2 (02:25):
Every war in history, but.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
Generally they have guns and stuff. Well, bayonets, they're going
to kill each other with these these two.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
This is this is, this is similar and warfare. And
every squad that we do today is for similated warfare
to remind us of our culture, of our past, and
you know that it is still a part of us
as humans.

Speaker 3 (02:45):
All right, George, listen, Thank you very much. Look after yourself.
I feel like you're going to need it.

Speaker 1 (02:49):
George Burgess, former RABBITO and Run It Championship League spokesperson.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
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