By Jonathon Moore Rugby Union Editor

There are few certainties in sport, but England will discover one of them on Monday.

The 2002 Maori crop lost to Australia and Queensland

Every player who faces the New Zealand Maori will leave the field in New Plymouth battered and bruised.

The game is a Test match in all but name and the Maori greeting will be typically hostile.

No-one takes rugby more seriously than New Zealand and no-one in New Zealand takes rugby more seriously than the Maoris.

Their culture is indelibly linked to the oval ball game. Since 1888, they have been producing players able to run, jump, kick and tackle better than anyone else.

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The team's haka, 'Timatanga' even likens the creation of the Maori team to that of the country itself. Serious stuff indeed.

"To represent New Zealand as a Maori is something very special," Bruce Reihana, who has won both both Maori and All Black honours, told BBC Sport.

"Maori rugby has a long history. Matt Te Pou, who's been our coach for the last few years, is extremely into the cultural side of things.

"He gets the boys singing a lot of songs and doing haka's and tells everyone about the culture that's involved.

"He also makes sure the players understand the history, so it's not just about playing."

Always willing to put their bodies on the line, the Maori pedigree is a fine one.

A lot of the Maoris are very aggressive players and when we get together it really comes out Bruce Reihana

Should they ever be allowed to compete separately in the Rugby World Cup, they would be among the favourites to claim the trophy and would certainly make the business end of the tournament.

Over the past 100 years they have defeated almost every major touring nation - and have done so with relish.

The last time they met England was in 1998, when Clive Woodward's third-string tourists were thumped as the star-studded hosts ran in nine tries.

"A lot of the Maori guys are very aggressive players and once we get together as a whole it really comes out and brings out our flair," said Reihana, a former Waikato Chiefs winger.

"Monday will be a Test match. The players involved in the Maori side are very talented. England have a huge task on their hands and will have to be on top of their game to keep the Maori at bay.

"They are fresh and firing and the boys will certainly be up for a game against England."

Bruce Reihana says England will face a tough challenge against the Maori

With the Tri-Nations and World Cup looming, the match also represents another opportunity to impress All Black coach John Mitchell.

The Maori side, though not an official testing ground for future All Blacks, is certainly used as such and the list of luminaries is impressive, to say the least.

All Black legends Sid Going, Wayne Shelford and Zinzan Brooke all made regular appearances for the team, whose 2003 crop will be hoping to improve on a miserable past 12 months.

Two defeats, to Queensland and Australia, will not be fondly remembered by Te Pou and his players will be out to put the record straight.

"The Maoris have great support all over the country and even worldwide so they'll be hoping for a good game and a good result," said Reihana.

"England had better make sure they are ready because the Maori certainly will be."