That the All Blacks have a fearsome reputation as rugby players.

The NZ army is approx 60% maori based & also has a fearsome reputation (the N Viets avoided them like the plague).

NZ whites never actually defeated the Maori tribes in war (the Maoris usually won battles) so by mid 1800s resorted to signing treaties that the whites later ignored & over time took the country by stealth - in recent years much land has been handed back and billions in reparations paid over, because it was so blatant as to how the white take-over was carried out.

The Maoris were comprable in a sense, to the Japanese but about 800 years behind in refining their life style. Both are tribal & warlike. Both treat women like sh**. Maori language is riddled with militaristic terminology due to the constant warfare that made up their lives. In fact most Maoris I knew remembered their own history in terms of tribal alliegences and great battles.

The northern tribe called the Ngati Whatua (sp) are still hated by the Waikato tribes (middle of Nth Island) over a battle fought in the early 1800s where the 1st tribe led by famous chief Te Hongi, used muskets for the 1st time & slaughtered his unprepared tribal enemies. & so on & so on.

The Moriori story is a very sad one.

Cheers

Doug