Rugby league is more than a sport in Papua New Guinea. It is a powerful symbol of unity in a land where more than 800 languages and dialects are spoken and tribal fighting has often divided communities. The national men's team, the Kumuls, and the women's side, the Orchids, carry that hope onto the field.
When PNG fans fill the stadium, the noise is so intense that players cannot hear one another. Children run alongside team buses, fashioning balls from whatever they can find, eager to glimpse their heroes. Edwin Ipape, a Kumuls player, says hearing the crowd sing the national anthem still moves him to tears.
The game arrived in the 1930s, when Australian miners introduced it to the local population. Its physical intensity suited Papuans, who had long fought battles on their soil. Today the country is among the most knowledgeable and passionate rugby league nations. Villages gather around television sets to watch the NRL or Super League, and thousands of young players practise on any patch of clear ground they can find.
As Papua New Guinea co-hosts the Rugby League World Cup with Australia and New Zealand, with four matches in Port Moresby, the sport's role as a unifying force is on full display.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing