New Zealand PM calls viral 'Run it Straight' rugby game 'dumb' after 19-year-old dies

A 19-year-old New Zealander has died of a 'serious head injury' in hospital, sustained after taking part in a game going viral.

'Run it Straight' is a high-impact rugby tackle challenge trending on social media.

The game has been gaining traction over recent weeks, with videos on TikTok and Instagram of people running at full speed into one another, clocking up tens of millions of views.

The challenge entails two players, one attacker and one defender, with a rugby ball, who collide into each other at full speed to either make a tackle or score a try, without protective gear.

Many locals and social media users are condemning the game for its dangerous and now fatal consequences.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has joined the condemnation of 'Run it Straight', calling it a 'dumb thing to do'.

While this incident took place in an unofficial game, official competitions have also become hugely popular across Australia and New Zealand, with the Runit League Championship recently drawing a crowd of 1,000 people.

It has also seen ex-professionals across both rugby union and rugby league compete in matches.

The challenge continues to grow in popularity among young people in the South Pacific, too, with Kimami Ngaluafe, the organiser of Up the Guts NZ, a run-it-straight competition in New Zealand, detailing that it is becoming their go-to sport to play in the backyard.