England are exploring the possibility of staging a mouth-watering rugby showdown against New Zealand this UK autumn.
In a frustrating quirk of the international schedule, the game's top two teams are not scheduled to meet until late next year, but Press Association Sport understands November 4 is now being examined as a possible window for an additional fixture.
The All Blacks are due to face the Barbarians at Twickenham on that date and the Rugby Football Union believes a fourth autumn international - games against Australia, Argentina and Samoa form the current line-up - could be agreed.
"We are scheduled to play New Zealand in 2018 and if an opportunity came up to play them before then we would pursue it," an RFU spokesman said.
