In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls (bird of paradise in Tok Pisin). Many Papua New Guinean players have left the country in order to pursue professional rugby league careers in Great Britain and Australia.
A team representing Papua New Guinea (generally made up of a mixture of locally based players and International Players) plays an Australian Prime Minister's XIII in an annual match. The Australian side consists mostly of developing players from the premier competition the National Rugby League (NRL).
The current coach of the Kumuls is former Queensland and Papua New Guinea half back Adrian Lam.
[edit] History
Rugby league was first played in Papua New Guinea in the late forties; it was introduced to the nation by Australian soldiers stationed there during and after the Second World War. Papua New Guinea were admitted to the game’s International Federation in 1974. On 6 July 1975, at Lloyd Robnson Oval, in Port Moresby the Kumuls played their first ever international. They were beaten 40-12 by England. The English team were en route to Australia and New Zealand to fulfil away fixtures during the 1975 World Cup.
They first entered the Rugby League World Cup for the 1985-89 competition, though it was not until 1995 that they were able to win away from home. In 1987 The Kumuls stage their first full test playing tour of Britain, after playing BARLA opposition in 1979. They lost the test 42-0 at Central Park, Wigan.
On Tuesday 20 October 1987, that Cumbria met Papua New Guinea before a crowd of 3,750 at the Recreation Ground, Whitehaven. Cumbria won 22-4. Four days later they played a World Cup rated Test against Great Britain.
Papua New Guinea played an exhibition match against Australia in 1988. In 1991 Papua New Guinea played host to a touring Great Britain, the series ended in a 1-1 draw.
On Sunday 27 October 1991, Papua New Guinea met Wales at Vetch Field, Swansea. Roared on by a fervent crowd of 11,422; Wales won by a record 68-0 margin, scoring thirteen tries. Papua New Guinea never recovered and lost all five matches in Britain, conceding 232 points in the process, and won only one of their four matches in France.
Papua New Guinea wound up their 1991 tour of Europe with a World Cup rated Test match against France, which was played on Sunday 24 November at the Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne. Despite Papua New Guinea lesding 8-4 at half-time; France defeated their visitors 28-14.
Papua New Guinea travelled to England to compete in the 1995 World Cup under coach Joe Tokam and captain Adrian Lam.[1] In their group was Tonga and New Zealand, against whom they failed to win a match.
In 1996 Bob Bennett, brother of the famous Wayne Bennett, was appointed the Kumuls' coach[2]. And Bob Bennett the coach of the 2000 World Cup Kumuls team made the qualification two the pool were the kumuls made it in two the top 5 team in the world so the 2000 World Cup Kumuls team was granted the best kumuls team. In 2005 Papua New Guinea beat the Australian Prime Minister's XIII 24-16 in Darwin. This was the first win over any Australian based national side. In 2007 Papua New Guinea drew with Australia PM XIII 24-24.
They were granted automatic qualification to the 2008 World Cup but were placed in a pool with the top three teams, Australia, New Zealand and England, and failed to win a match in the tournament.
[edit] 2008 World Cup squad
As of October 20, 2007:
COACH Adrian Lam
| N0 | Name | DOB | Position | Club | Caps (pts) |
| 1 | John Wilshere (C) | May 5, 1978 | Full Back |  Salford City Reds | 32 (102) |
| 2 | George Keppa | May 29, 1985 | Right Wing |  Norths Devils | 4 (10) |
| 3 | Jessie Joe Parker | July 8, 1985 | Right Centre |  Port Moresby MM Rangers | 3 (0) |
| 4 | Tu'u Maori | March 23, 1982 | Left Centre | Sydney Roosters | 3 (8) |
| 5 | David Mead | Sept 6, 1979 | Left Wing | Gold Coast Titans | 5 (12) |
| 6 | Rod Griffin | June 27, 1985 | Stand Off | Wests Tigers | 7 (8) |
| 7 | Keith Peters | January 25, 1986 | Scrum Half | Penrith Panthers | 6 (10) |
| 8 | Makali Aizue | May 26, 1983 | Prop | Hull KR | 16 (0) |
| 9 | Paul Aiton | May 29, 1985 | Hooker | Penrith Panthers | 39 (4) |
| 10 | Trevor Exton | November 8, 1981 | Prop | Ipswich Jets | 8 (4) |
| 11 | Neville Costigan | September 16, 1982 | Second Row | Canberra Raiders | 5 (0) |
| 12 | James Nightingale | September 25, 1986 | Second Row | Redcliffe Dolphins | 7 (4) |
| 13 | Stanley Gene | May 11, 1974 | Loose Forward | Hull KR | 48 (110) |
| 14 | Rodney Pora | April 8, 1987 | Prop | Mendi Muruks | 4 (0) |
| 15 | George Moni | August 28, 1983 | Second Row | Mendi Muruks | 5 (0) |
| 16 | Jason Chan | January 30, 1981 | Center |  Windsor Wolves | 2 (4) |
| 17 | Charlie Wabo | April 8, 1987 | Hooker | Mendi Muruks | 3 (0) |
| 18 | Nixon Kolo | May 31, 1983 | Decond Row | Port Moresby MM Rangers | 3 (0) |
| 19 | Anton Kui | February 9, 1981 | Centre | Goroka Lahanis | 18 (28) |
| 20 | Menzie Yere | February 28, 1980 | Five Eight/fFull Back | Rabaul Gurias | 8 (20) |
| 21 | Larson Marabe | October 22, 1982 | Centre/wing | Rabaul Gurias | 4 (44) |
| 22 | Kevin Prior | April 1, 1983 | Hooker | Redcliffe Dolphins | 2 (0) |
| 23 | Nico U. Slain | April 8, 1987 | Second Row | Goroka Lahanis | 3 (0) |
| 24 | Jay Aston | February 14, 1988 | Hooker | Melbourne Storm | 0 (0) |
[edit] Notable Players
[edit] Famous players now deceased
[edit] KUMULS results
- 2009: Papua New Guinea def. Cook islands 42-14 Port Moresby - 2009 Pacfic cup final
- 2009: Papua New Guinea def. Tonga 44-14 Port Moresby - 2009 Pacific Cup
- 2009: Australia PMXIII def. Papua new Guinea PMXIII 42-18
- 2009: Papua new Guinea def. Fiji 14-02 Port moresby
- 2009:Papua New Guinea def. Fiji 64-10 Port Moresby
- 2008 New Zealand def. Papua New Guinea 48-6 Skilled Park (Robina) 2008 World Cup
- 2008 England def. Papua New Guinea 32-22 Dairy Dairmers Stadium (Townsville) 2008 World Cup
- France Def Papua New Guinea 22-16 Begles, France
- 2007: Papua New Guinea def France A 20-6 Villenuve, France
- 2007: France def Papua New Guinea 38 - 26 (France)
- 2007: Papua New Guinea def France A 38-12 Avignon, France
- 2007: Wales def Papua New Guinea 50-10 Bridgend , Wales
- 2007: Papua New Guinea Drew Australia PM XIII 24-24
- 2006: Australia PM XIII def. Papua New Guniea 28-8 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 2005: Australia def. Papua New Guinea 70-22 Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
- 2004: Australia def. Papua New Guinea 32-20 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 2003: Papua New Guinea def. Junior Kangaroos 24-22 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 2003: Australia PM XIII def. Papua New Guinea 32-0 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 2002: Junior Kangaroos def. PNG President XIII 28-16 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 2001: New Zealand def. Papua New Guinea 38-8 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 2001: New Zealand A def. Papua New Guinea President's XIII 36-6 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 2001: Australia PM XIII def. Papua New Guinea 32-6 Danny Leahy Oval (Goroka)
- 2000: Australia def. Papua New Guinea 82-0 Dairy Dairmers Stadium (Townsville)
- 2000: Papua New Guinea def. Tonga 22-18 Leeds, England
- 2000: Wales def. Papua New Guinea 22-8 Headingley Stadium England
- 2000: Papua New Guinea def. South Africa 16-0 Leeds, England
- 2000: Papua New Guinea def. Tonga 30-22 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1999: Australia def. Papua New Guinea 36-6 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1998: Papua New Guinea President's XIII def. Fiji 16-14 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1998: Australia def. Papua New Guinea 56-0 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1998: Papua New Guinea def. Fiji 34-12 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1998: Papua New Guinea def. Cook Islands 86-6 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1998: Australia def. Papua New Guinea 56-0 Sydney Cricket Ground
- 1998: Papua New Guinea def. Tonga 44-28 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1998: Papua New Guinea def. Tonga 54-12 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1997: Papua New Guinea Prime Minister's XIII def. NZ Māori's 28-20 Sir Hubert Murray Stadium (Port Moresby)
- 1996: Papua New Guinea def. Tonga 56-16 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1996: Kiwis def. Papua New Guinea 62-8 International Stadium, Rotorua
- 1995: Papua New Guinea def. France 18-16 Danny Leahy Oval (Goroka)
- 1995: Australia def. Papua New Guinea 77-8 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1995: BARLA def. Papua New Guinea 28-18 Sir Hubert Murray Stadium (Port Moresby)
- 1995: Papua New Guinea drew Tonga 28-28 St James Park England
- 1993: Papua New Guinea def. Fiji 35-24 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1992: Papua New Guinea def. France 38-8 Danny Leahy Oval (Goroka)
- 1992: France def. Papua New Guinea 28-26 Sir Hubert Murray Stadium (Port Moresby)
- 1992: Great Britain def. Papua New Guinea 20-14 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1991: Wales def. Papua New Guinea 68-24 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1991: Great Britain def. Papua New Guinea 56-4 Wigan, England
- 1990: Great Britain def. Papua New Guinea 40-38 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1990: Papua New Guinea def. Great Britain 20-18 Danny Leahy Oval (Goroka)
- 1987: Papua New Guinea drew France 20-20 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1988: Great Britain def. Papua New Guinea 42-22 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1987: Great Britain def. Papua New Guinea 42-0 Wigan, England
- 1984: Great Britain def. Papua New Guinea 38-20 Pope John Paul II Oval (Mt Hagen)
- 1981: Papua New Guinea def. France 28-8 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1980: Australia def. Papua New Guinea 20-18 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
- 1979: BARLA def. Papua New Guinea 42-0 Central Park, Wigan
- 1977:Great Britain def. Papua New Guinea 44-4 Headingley Stadium, England
- 1976: Australia def. Papua New Guinea 49-18 Sydney Cricket Ground
- 1975:Great Britain def. Papua New Guinea 40-12 Lloyd Robson (Port Moresby)
BOLD Matches are wins
Courtesy of www.pngnrl.com.pg and PNGRFL Annual General Review
[edit] Other Papua New Guinean teams
- PNG Prime Minister XIII - Development to comprising of local based players and only 3 international players, used to play both national and development sides.
- PNG President XIII - PNGRFL 'select' usually playing another development side like Junior Kangaroos or New Zealand A. Rarely used to play national sides.
- PNG Residents- Papua New Guinea development side made up of solely local players. Regularly playing matches with the Junior Kangaroos, New Zealand Māoris and even national sides.
- Papua New Guinea KUNDUS - Papua New Guinea junior U18 schoolboys side.
- Recently played QLD U18 as a curtain raiser to Origin I. The QLD U/18 def. Kundus 20-16. The team is captained by Wayne Bond
[edit] Participating tournament
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
