LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The controversial contact sport, which has raised eyebrows among concussion experts, is drawing excitement from some rugby players. Newcastle forward Lochlan Piper is participating in the Run Nation Championship (RNC), an event that transforms a rugby league "hit-up" into a standalone sport.
"It's how I play football, you know … the contact, the energy," Piper expressed.
Emerging on social media in 2025, the sport has gained traction and is now striving for mainstream recognition, with the latest RNC event at the Hordern Pavilion anticipated to sell out its 5,500-seat capacity.
However, sports neurologist Rowena Mobbs is advocating for a ban on the sport due to safety concerns.
The concept is straightforward: two athletes charge at each other with the goal of knocking their opponent down, adhering to strict rules regarding contact areas on the body.
"There's no high, like it in my eyes … same as a boxer or a fighter or something like that. It's you against them," Piper stated.
Tremaine Fernandez, co-founder and CEO of Run Nation, emphasized that unlike earlier "backyard" versions, RNC has established rules to minimize head-on collisions.