Considered Papua New Guinea’s national sport, Rugby League is far more than a game in the island nation, it’s a passion.

League ranks as the nation’s most popular sport, is played as part of the school curriculum and has been cited as the replacement for tribal warfare.

In addition to supplying their own national team, the Kumuls, Papua New Guinea has also produced a stellar lineup of international players, gracing teams in the UK and Australia.

So how did rugby league come to Papua New Guinea, and why is it considered so much more than a sport?