Discussions are progressing around a potential North v South match-up at the conclusion of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
With the All Blacks season under a dark cloud, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a 2020 home series seems unlikely.
While hope remains for a quickfire Bledisloe Cup series, new coach Ian Foster's first test in charge may not be until the November end-of-year tour - and that's only if European travel restrictions are lifted.
An All Blacks trial has been floated, while a North v South match is also in the works.
NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson has confirmed both scenarios are very much in play, potentially to be played between the revamped Super Rugby competition and the Mitre 10 Cup in September.
"Those potential fixtures are being talked about," says Robinson. "Now that we have this timeline locked in around Super Rugby, we can probably firm up around those particular fixtures, and I know the players are pretty excited around particularly the North v South game.
"There has been some talk around the qualification on what those two teams may look like and we will continue to work through those discussions."
The inter-island clash was an annual fixture until 1987, but has only been staged twice since then. The South won the most recent encounter 32-24 in 2012.
With Super Rugby and the Mitre 10 Cup now firmly locked in, NZR is now working through its options for potential international fixtures.
Robinson confirms that includes the world champion Black Ferns.
"All levels of the game we are focused on trying to support at the moment.
"It's nice to have a plan locked in around Super Rugby, we are firmed up around the Mitre 10 Cup later in the year, and we are having ongoing discussions around the Farah Palmer Cup and a potential Black Ferns programme.
"The All Blacks are obviously a part of that as well.
"The later in the year we go, the more uncertainty remains and we start floating different scenarios."
Should the All Blacks fixture list be completely wiped out for 2020, Robinson suggested the possibility of a star-studded Mitre 10 Cup.
"Their commitment to Mitre 10 Cup will be solely driven by the All Black schedule."
Join us for live updates of Super Rugby from June 13
