Rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

 is a popular team sport

Team sport

A team sport includes any sport which involves players working together towards a shared objective. A team sport is an activity in which a group of individuals, on the same team, work together to accomplish an ultimate goal which is usually to win. This can be done in a number of ways such as...

 in Samoa

Samoa

Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...

.

Many Samoans and New Zealanders or Australians of Samoan descent play professional rugby league in Australia or Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

, such as the Super League

Super League

Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...

. One of the examples is Va'aiga Tuigamala

Va'aiga Tuigamala

Va'aiga Lealuga Tuigamala MNZM is a Samoan rugby footballer. As well as playing for the All Blacks, he represented Samoa in both rugby union and rugby league, playing at centre and wing...

, who represented the New Zealand All Blacks, then became the first million dollar player to be contract out to Rugby League to play for Wigan Warriors

Wigan Warriors

Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....

, then played Rugby Union for Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle Falcons

The Newcastle Falcons is an English rugby union team currently playing in the Aviva Premiership. The club was established in 1877 and played under the name of Gosforth Football Club until 1990. The name was then changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in...

 before representing Samoa. Ta'ane Lavulavu of Workington Town

Workington Town

Workington Town is a professional rugby league club playing in Workington in West Cumbria. They play in the Championship 1. Their stadium is called Derwent Park, which they share with Workington Comets, a speedway team....

, Maurie Fa'asavalu

Maurie Fa'asavalu

Maurie Fa'asavalu is a Samoan rugby union player who formerly played rugby league for St Helens. He was recently picked in the Great Britain rugby league squad after living in England for 4 years...

 of St Helens and David Fatialofa

David Fatialofa

David Fatialofa is a New Zealand rugby league player who played professionally in England for Whitehaven.-Playing career:Fatialofa was an Auckland Warriors junior and played in the 1995 Lion Red Cup final...

 of Whitehaven

Whitehaven RLFC

Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...

 are other examples.

When rugby union

Rugby union

Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...

 went professional players such as Apollo Perelini

Apollo Perelini

Apollo Perelini is a former Samoan dual code rugby international player.Apollo Perelini played for St. Helens in the Rugby League Premiership and the Super League...

 and Fereti "Freddie" Tuilagi

Freddie Tuilagi

Fereti Tuilagi is a former Samoan rugby union Rugby player who previously played rugby league for Halifax Blue Sox and St. Helens. He played as a wing or centre and now is currently retired...

 left rugby league to return to the 15-man game.

Governing body

The governing body for rugby league in Samoa is the Samoan Rugby League. They are members of the Rugby League International Federation

Rugby League International Federation

The Rugby League International Federation is the world governing body of rugby league football. It was formed in 1998 in Sydney, Australia. Its purpose is to, "foster, develop, extend, govern and administer the game of Rugby League throughout the world". Its headquarters are in Sydney, Australia,...

 and the Pacific Islands Rugby League Federation

Pacific Islands Rugby League Federation

The Pacific Islands Rugby League Federation is the governing body of rugby league in the South Pacific.Papua New Guinea's Sports Minister Philemon Embel is the chairman of the PIRLF.-History:...

.

National team

The Samoa national rugby league team

Samoa national rugby league team

-Notable Players & Coaches:* John Ackland * Steve Kaiser Coach 1990 - 1994* Steve Kaiser 1986* Afi Ah Koui 1986* Andrew Ah Koui 1986* George Apelu 1986* Fa'ausu Afoa circa-1995* Wing Afoa 1990 - 1994* Isaak Ah Mau circa-2006...

 has been participating in international rugby league

Rugby league

Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...

 competition since 1988. From 1988 to 1997 this team was known as the Western Samoa rugby league team.

Western Samoa participated in the Pacific Cup (1988-1996), World Sevens (1994, 1995) and Superleague World Nines (1996, 1997) competitions.

Samoa has participated in the Pacific Cup (since 1998), World Cup

Rugby League World Cup

The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...

(since 2000), World Sevens (2003) and Pacific Rim (2004) competitions. Samoa reaching the quarter finals of the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.