The England rugby league team will play the New Zealand Maori on October 16 as part of their preparations for the Four Nations.

Steve McNamara's men will face the Maoris in Auckland a week before their opening game of the Four Nations tournament against New Zealand in Wellington.

The fixture will feature any players who will have played in the Grand Final on October 2, as well as players selected that currently play in the NRL.

"This game is going to play an important part of our preparations and we're all really looking forward to playing the New Zealand Maori," McNamara said on Thursday.

"We've made slow starts in our last two international tournaments, the 2008 Rugby League World Cup and the Four Nations last year, and this match gives us the opportunity to ensure we hit the ground running."

England's preparations will also feature a warm-up game with Cumbria in October as a fundraiser for the family of former Workington forward Garry Purdham, who was one of 12 people killed by gunman Derrick Bird earlier this year.

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