| Rugby League In Papua New Guinea |
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HISTORY The game was first introduced to Papua New Guinea by Australia n soldiers stationed there during and after the Second World War . It spread quickly, and is now regarded as the country’s national sport. Papua New Guinean rugby league has hampered by the poor infrastructure in the country, and national competitions have proven difficult to sustain. Violence at large games has also become something of a problem, and the major test nations have tended to be reluctant to tour Papua New Guinea due to safety concerns. Nonetheless rugby league remains the dominant sport, and is played across the nation, with competitions in major cities and highland regions alike. Papua New Guinea was represented by Port Moresby Vipers in the Queensland Cup competition in 1996 and 1997 . GOVERNING BODY The governing body for rugby league in Papua New Guinea, who are based in Port Moresby . They have been members of the Rugby League International Federation since 1974. The League has suffered financially due to member leagues not paying affiliation fees. COMPETITIONS The national competition is known as the ''SP Cup'', and has been held since 1990. No competition was held in 2004 due to funding problems, but the competition returned for 2005. Teams are competing in a league format, with the top 5 clubs at the end of the rounds entering play-offs, culminating in a Grand Final . Below the SP Cup exist many local and provincial, the most prestigious of which is the Port Moresby League. POPULARITY Rugby league is the most popular sport in Papua New Guinea (especially in the highlands) and is commonly referred to as the National Sport . The annual Australian State Of Origin matches are the most watched sporting event of the year. Many Papuans have gone on to play professional rugby league either in the National Rugby League in Australia or Super League in Europe. Marcus Bai became a national celebrity after he played in the National Rugby League with Melbourne Storm , he later went to play in Super League. THE NATIONAL TEAM See Also: Papua New Guinea national rugby league team The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team are nicknamed ''Kumuls'' after the Bird Of Paradise , a national symbol of the country. Their first ever test match was a 40-12 home defeat by Great Britain in 1975. They compete in the Rugby League World Cup and first entered a team in the 1985-89 competition, though it was not until 1995 that they were able to win away from home. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS |
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