PAPUA NEW GUINEA RUGBY LEAGUE NATION OVERVIEW
This page was updated 14/3/14
Foundation Year – 1975
International Team – Kumuls
Highest finish in World Cup – Quarter Final (2000)
Top level domestic competition – The Digicel Cup consist of 10 teams: Season runs from May to October. Click here for the 2013 Digicel Cup draw
History – Rugby League was introduced into Papua New Guinea via Australian serviceman stationed there during the Second World War. Papua New Guinea joined the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) in 1974 and have been playing rugby league at an international level ever since. Rugby League is now classed as Papua New Guinea’s national sport. Recent reports from the Papua New Guinea government estimate that a third of PNG’s six million population play league.
Papua New Guinea’s first international game was against a touring English team on their way to Australia in 1975. Played at Port Moresby the English defeated the Kumuls in trying conditions 40 – 12.
In a sign of the RLIF growing confidence in the international game, Papua New Guinea were invited to participate in the newly formatted World Cups of (1986 – 1988) and (1989 – 1992). Papua New Guinea did not disappoint with a shock victory over New Zealand 24 – 22 in Port Moresby in 1986.
In the 1995 World Cup Papua New Guinea were grouped with New Zealand and Tonga. The first match against Tonga went down to the wire with the final score locked at 28 all. The Kumuls played the Kiwis in their final pool game and put in a respectable performance before eventually running out of steam losing 22 – 6.
In the 2000 World Cup PNG made history by finishing top of their pool and qualifying for the quarter finals for the first time. Led by Adrian Lam PNG went on to lose the game against Wales but had showed the rest of the rugby league world how far they had progressed. When the players returned to PNG they were greeted by thousands of PNG fans. Rugby League in PNG had come of age.
PNG were automatic qualifiers for the 2008 World Cup. They were grouped with Australia, New Zealand and England in the super pool. PNG nearly upset England in the first match of the Pool but eventually went down 32 – 22. The Kumuls also preformed well against Kiwis and Kangaroos scoring a try in each game against there much fancied opponents. All in all Papua New Guinea showed pride and passion for the jersey and made another statement to the NRL regarding the ongoing battle to have a Port Moresby team included in the NRL. Adrian Lam also called for more international games for Papua New Guinea to help with the ongoing development of Kumuls.
In early 2009 Papua New Guinea were ranked 6th in World seedings by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF).
Papua New Guinea surprised everyone when they defeated Tonga and the Cook Islands to win the 2009 Pacific Cup competition. On the back of this win Papua New Guinea secured a place in the 2010 Four Nations tournament. The Four Nations tournament included Australia, New Zealand, England and the Pacific Cup winner (PNG). Papua New Guinea didn’t win a game but learnt much from the experience of playing against the best 3 rugby league nations in the world.
Papua New Guinea have been placed in Group B in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC). They will be up against stiff competition with New Zealand, France and Samoa also joining them in their Group. On October 27th (Sunday) they will open their World Cup campaign against France at the MS3 Craven Park, Hull in England. Papua New Guinea will next tackle Samoa at MS3 Craven Park in Hull, England on November the 4th (Monday). Papua New Guinea’s last pool match with see them to take on world cup holders New Zealand at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds in England on November the 8th (Friday).
For the latest 2013 RLWC match information and results for Papua New Guinea visit our 2013RLWC page and click here
Dear Readers, If you have first hand knowledge of the current Rugby League situation in Papua New Guinea we would love to hear from you. Please email us at: webmaster@rugbyleagueplanet.comor join our international rugby league Forums at http://forums.rugbyleagueplanet.com and let us all know what’s going on in your part of the world.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE RESULTS
2014 Rugby League Results
Oct 19th Papua New Guinea 32 v Tonga 18, Lae
Oct 12th PNG PMXIII 16 v Australia PMXIII 34, Kokopo
2013 Rugby League Results
Nov 8th 8.00pm New Zealand 56 v Papua New Guinea 10 (World Cup)
Nov 4th 8.00pm Samoa 38 v Papua New Guinea 4 (World Cup)
Oct 27th 4.00pm France 9 v Papua New Guinea 8 (World Cup)
Oct 19th Scotland 20 v Papua New Guinea 38 (RLWC warm-up match)
Sep 29th Papua New Guinea PM XIII 10 – Australia PM XIII 50
Feb 9th South Sydney 38 v PNG Resident XIII 12
2012 Rugby League Results
Sep 23rd Papua New Guinea PM XIII 18 – Australia PM XIII 24
2011 Rugby League Results
Nov 6th Papua New Guinea 26 – Fiji 0 (Test Match)
Oct 30th Papua New Guinea 12 – Fiji 26 (Test Match)
Sep 25th Papua New Guinea PM XIII 22 – Australia PM XIII 36
2010 Rugby League Results
Nov 6th Papua New Guinea 10 – England 36 (Four Nations)
Oct 30th New Zealand 76 – Papua New Guinea 12 (Four Nations)
Oct 24th Australia 42 – Papua New Guinea 0 (Four Nations)
Sep 26th Papua New Guinea PM XIII 18 – Australian PM XIII 30
2009 Rugby League Results
Nov 1st Papua New Guinea 42 – Cook Islands 14 (Pacific Cup Final)
Oct 25th Papua New Guinea 44 – Tonga 14 (Pacific Cup)
Sep 27th Australian PM XIII 42 – Papua New Guinea PM XIII 18
Jul 25th Papua New Guinea 14 – Fiji 2 (Hardware Haus Cup)
Jul 22nd Papua New Guinea 54 – Fiji 10 (Hardware Haus Cup)
Mar 7th Samoa 26 – Papua New Guinea Residents 18
2008 Rugby League Results
Nov 9th Australia 46 – Papua New Guinea 6 (World Cup)
Nov 1st New Zealand 48 – Papua New Guinea 6 (World Cup)
Oct 25th England 32 – Papua New Guinea 22 (World Cup)
Sep 28th Australian PM XIII 54 – Papua New Guinea PM XIII 30
2007 Rugby League Results
Nov 11th France 22 – Papua New Guinea 16 (Test Series)
Nov 3rd France 38 – Papua New Guinea 26 (Test Series)
Oct 30th Papua New Guinea 28 – France A 12
Oct 7th Papua New Guinea 20 – France A 6
Oct 28th Wales 50 – Papua New Guinea 10 (Test Match)
Sep 23rd Australia PM XIII 24 – Papua New Guinea PM XIII 24
2006 Rugby League Results
Sep Australia PM XIII 28 – Papua New Guinea PM XIII 8
2005 Rugby League Results
Oct Australia 70 – Papua New Guinea 22
2004 Rugby League Results
Oct Australia 32 – Papua New Guinea 20
2003 Rugby League Results
Sep Australia PM XIII 32 – Papua New Guinea 0
Sep Papua New Guinea 24 – Juinor Kangaroos 22
2002 Rugby League Results
Sep Junior Kangaroos 28 – Papua New Guinea PM XIII 16
2001 Rugby League Results
Oct 7th Australia 54 – Papua New Guinea 12 (Test Match)
New Zealand 38 – Papua New Guinea 8 (Test Match)
2000 Rugby League Results
Nov 12th Wales 22 – Papua New Guinea 8 (World Cup Quarter Final)
Nov 6th Papua New Guinea 30 – Tonga 22 (World Cup)
Nov 2nd Papua New Guinea 16 – South Afr 0 (World Cup)
Oct 28th Papua New Guinea 23 – France 20 (World Cup)
Oct 7th Australia 82 – Papua New Guinea 0 (Test Match)
Sep Papua New Guinea 22 – Tonga 18
1999 Rugby League Results
Australia 36 – Papua New Guinea 6
1998 Rugby League Results
Papua New Guinea 54 – Tonga 12
Papua New Guinea 44 – Tonga 28
Oct Australia 56 – Papua New Guinea 0 (Test Match)
Papua New Guinea 16 – Fiji 14
Papua New Guinea 34 – Fiji 12
Fiji 14 – Papua New Guinea 10
Papua New Guinea 46 – Cook Islands 6
1997 Rugby League Results
Papua New Guinea 34 – Cook Islands 14
Papua New Guinea 38 – Cook Islands 14
1996 Rugby League Results
Oct 20th Australia 52 – Papua New Guinea 6 (Test Match)
Oct 15th New Zealand 62 – Papua New Guinea 8 (Test Match)
Great Britain 32 – Papua New Guinea 30
Papua New Guinea 56 – Tonga 16
1995 Rugby League Results
Oct 13th New Zealand 22 – Papua New Guinea 6 (World Cup)
Oct 10th Tonga 28 – Papua New Guinea 28 (World Cup)
BARLA 28 – Papua New Guinea 18
Sep Papua New Guinea 18 – France 16 (Test Match)
Sep Australia 77 – Papua New Guinea 8 (Test Match)
1994 Rugby League Results
Oct 23rd New Zealand 30 – Papua New Guinea 16 (Test Series)
Oct 16th New Zealand 24 – Papua New Guinea 12 (Test Series)
1993 Rugby League Results
Papua New Guinea 35 – Fiji 24
1992 Rugby League Results
Jul 15th Australia 36 – Papua New Guinea 14 (World Cup)
Jul 5th New Zealand 66 – Papua New Guinea 10 (World Cup)
Papua New Guinea 38 – France 8 (Test Series)
France 28 – Papua New Guin 26 (Test Series)
Great Britain 20 – Papua New Guinea 14 (Test Match)
1991 Rugby League Results
Nov 24th France 28 – Papua New Guinea 14 (World Cup)
Nov 9th Great Britain 56 – Papua New Guinea 4 (World Cup)
Oct 13th Australia 40 – Papua New Guinea 6 (World Cup & Test Series)
Oct 6th Australia 58 – Papua New Guinea 2 (Test Series)
Jul 7th France 20 – Papua New Guinea 18 (World Cup)
Oct 17th Wales 68 – Papua New Guinea 0
1990 Rugby League Results
Aug 11th New Zealand 18 – Papua New Guinea 10 (World Cup & Test Series)
Aug 5th New Zealand 36 – Papua New Guinea 4 (Test Series)
Jun 2nd Great Britain 40 – Papua New Guinea 8 (World Cup & Test Series)
May Papua New Guinea 20 – Great Britain 18 (Test Series)
1988 Rugby League Results
Jul 20th Australia 70 – Papua New Guinea 8 (World Cup)
Jul 10th New Zealand 66 – Papua New Guinea14 (World Cup)
May 22nd Great Britain 42 – Papua New Guinea 22 (World Cup)
1987 Rugby League Results
Nov 15th France 21 – Papua New Guinea 4 (World Cup & Test Series)
Nov 9th France 20 – Papua New Guinea 20 (Test Series)
Oct 24th Great Britain 42 – Papua New Guinea 0 (World Cup)
1986 Rugby League Results
Oct 4th Australia 62 – Papua New Guinea 12 (World Cup)
Aug 17th Papua New Guinea 24 – New Zealand 22 (World Cup & Test Series)
Aug 10th New Zealand 36 – Papua New Guinea 26 (Test Series)
1984 Rugby League Results
Aug 5th Great Britain 38 – Papua New Guinea 20 (Test Match)
1982 Rugby League Results
Sep 25th Australia 38 – Papua New Guinea 2 (Test Match)
Jan 25th New Zealand 56 – Papua New Guinea 5 (Test Match)
1981 Rugby League Results
Jun Papua New Guinea 28 – France 8 (Test Match)
1980 Rugby League Results
Sep Australia 20 – Papua New Guinea 18)
1979 Rugby League Results
BARLA 42 – Papua New Guinea 0
1977 Rugby League Results
England 44 – Papua New Guinea 4
1976 Rugby League Results
Oct Australia 49 – Papua New Guinea 18
1975 Rugby League Results
England 40 – Papua New Guinea 12
