Former England and South Sydney Rabbitohs great George Burgess went toe-to-toe against Leicester Tigers legend Nemani Nadolo in a bizarre new Australian sport on Wednesday.
RUNIT is one of the world’s newest and most brutal collision sport that challenges two competitors to ‘run it straight’ at each other along a 20m track which is only four metres wide.
With $20,000 on the line, two competitors will start at either end of the track, with one carrying the ball towards the other, who then attempts to stop the opponent by tackling them.
The organisation says that RUNIT is the ‘world’s fiercest collision sport’, with the athletes generating some jaw-dropping collisions in the middle of what’s being dubbed the ‘battlefield’.
According to event managers, ‘victory belongs to the one who dominates the collision.’
Burgess, 33, who played his last game in the NRL for St George Illawarra three years ago, donned his boots again for the event, with the former prop, who won 15 caps for England between 2013 and 2018, squaring off against giant former winger, Nadolo, who stands at a towering 195cm and weighs approximately 302lbs.
George Burgess (pictured) competed in the RUNIT Championship on Wednesday in Melbourne
The former England rugby league star went up against ex-Leicester Tigers star Nemani Nadolo with the pair coming together in a monumental collision
The pair both shook hands after the huge collision before heading backstage to share a beer
Nadolo, who was born in Fiji, enjoyed a decorated career in rugby union, with the winger turning out for Montpellier and Leicester, as well as the Crusaders in Super Rugby. He’d go on to be capped 30 times for Fiji, scoring a whopping 206 points and was renowned for his physicality, smashing through defensive lines on his route to the try line.
The two goliaths stepped forward at the Melbourne Pavilion on Wednesday to participate in the event.
Burgess, who is the brother of Sam and Tom Burgess, grabbed the footy and got down on one knee in a sprinting start position, before tearing away from the start line towards Nadolo, as the crowd – which included MMA star Tai Tuivasa – cheered them on.
The pair met in the middle of the ‘battlefield’ and collided in an all-mighty bump but it was Burgess who was the victor, using his incredible strength to send Nadolo, 37, onto the floor.
Despite the brutal nature of the collision, the former Tigers star quickly rose back to his feet.
They went again, this time with Nadolo carrying the footy but Burgess proved too strong, stopping the former union star in his tracks.
After the event he and the ex-Rabbitohs prop then embraced on the field, in what was a classy gesture between both competitors before heading backstage to share a cold beer.
Burgess published a snap of the pair on his Instagram story, writing: Big respect to @Nemani_Nadolo. Biggest man I have ever tackled by far!’
Burgess took to Instagram to laud his opponent, writing: ‘Biggest man I have ever tackled by far!’
The RUNIT Championship League sees hulking athletes run full-tilt into each other in front of roaring crowds who come for the massive collisions
‘Like tackling a moving truck,’ Nadolo replied. ‘Respect brus.’
After the event, Nadolo published several pictures on his Instagram account, with the caption: ‘One of the scariest yet most fulfilling things I’ve done since retiring from the game.
‘A huge thank you to RUNIT for giving me the opportunity to be part of an event that I know will only grow bigger in the future.
On facing Burgess, Nadolo said he had to mentally prepare himself to face the rugby league hardman.
‘Building up the mental courage to step in and go up against one of the toughest men in rugby league – none other than England’s own George Burgess – is something I won’t forget. I didn’t get the win and that’s completely fine. The biggest takeaway for me was the mental challenge of preparing on short notice for an event that demands such intense, physical tackling. That in itself was a big positive.
‘Massive respect to all the contestants who took part and a big shoutout to Semi Osa for being crowned the champion, all the way from Ipswich!’
He added: ‘PS If anyone finds my shoulders at the Melbourne Pavillion, please DM me…’
Semi Osa would go on to be crowned champion on the night and claim the $20k cash prize.
Several stars from Australian sport have been involved in the event including Western Bulldogs star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and Melbourne Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona – but the latter has since split from the group.
Despite that RUNIT has received some criticism from some over the dangers of the sport.
A leading neuroscientist Dr Helen Murray – an expert on the subject of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – expressed fears over the sport in relation to head injuries.
‘From a CTE standpoint, we know that exposure to repeated head acceleration events is the biggest risk factor for CTE pathology, and therefore finding ways to reduce these impacts in contact sports is a priority for player safety,’ Murray told the New Zealand Herald.
‘It appears there is no attempt to mitigate head acceleration events in this activity and the risk of significant injury is high, given the intent to collide, so I do not support it.’
CTE is a degenerative brain disease that is thought to be linked to individuals who have suffered repeated concussions and brain traumas.
Symptoms can include short-term memory loss, issues with movement and general confusion.
Another sports neuroscientist, Dr Alan Pearce said he was ‘gobsmacked’ upon seeing the competition starting up.
Rugby union giant Nadolo (left) enjoyed a glittering career, playing for Leicester Tigers, Montpellier and the Crusaders among other clubs, while also winning 30 caps for Samoa
Burgess would represent England rugby league at international level and would enjoy a glittering career in the NRL with the Rabbitohs
‘I was pretty gobsmacked, speechless actually when I saw this competition idea starting because for me as someone who has seen hundreds of footballers and rugby league players who are now struggling with brain injury and long-term impairment, it is really troubling,’ He told News.com.au.
‘I just cannot understand how they could take the most violent aspect of sport and just turn it into a spectacle where the objective is just to try and knock out or hurt your opponent.’
RUNIT organisers stressed that competitors must go through a screening process before being able to compete.
Safety measures are also in place at their events.
‘Yes, a knockout can potentially occur, but this is not the aim of our game,’ RUNIT organisers said.
‘The aim is to dominate contact – whether you bump someone over or land a good, clean hit.
‘We disallow tackles below the waist and above the shoulders. A knockout, like any other combat sport, is a byproduct.
‘Unlike any other combat sport, however, it is not our aim.
AFL star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan has acted as an ambassador for the bizarre new combat sport
Melbourne Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona was a spokesman for RUNIT before he had a falling out with the organisation recently
‘Athletes are screened by a doctor pre and post matches, medics are present, and medical waivers inclusive of drug and blood tests are completed prior to any participation.’
The organisation have also distanced itself from individuals participating in similar events after a video went viral showing a man displaying concussion symptoms after competing in a similar challenge.
RUNIT condemned the clip, stating: ‘It highlights the level of differentiation between our league and these other backyard-type events.’
‘What we saw in that video is thoroughly disappointing – the lack of care, the filming and running in of children and spectators whilst a man was clearly seizing on the ground.’