The All Blacks are looking to build hype for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

The All Blacks are set to roll the Bledisloe dice and take their home third trans-Tasman fixture for 2018 to Japan.

According to an Australian media report, Steve Hansen is keen to ramp up the team's exposure to the game in Japan ahead of the 2019 World Cup there, with the third Bledisloe part of a likely Tokyo late-season double-header. It also shapes as a nice money-earner for New Zealand Rugby.

The All Blacks are already scheduled to play a test against Japan in that country on November 3 as their stop-off en route for their annual end-of-year tour in the north.

It is likely the Japan third Bledisloe, if confirmed, would be played in a late-October date just prior to that clash against the Brave Blossoms. It has already received a positive reaction from inside the All Blacks camp in London.

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The last time the All Blacks met Australia in a Bledisloe contest on neutral turf was in Hong Kong in 2010, when the Wallabies pipped the New Zealanders 26-24 thanks to a late James O'Connor seven-pointer.

The last All Blacks-Wallabies clash in Tokyo was in 2009, with the New Zealanders getting up 32-19 that day.

Both the All Blacks and Wallabies are looking to increase their familiarity with Japanese conditions ahead of 2019. The Wallabies meet the Brave Blossoms in a test in Yokohama on Saturday.

All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith gave the Japanese Bledisloe a resounding thumbs-up while in London preparing for Saturday's November tour opener against the Barbarians at Twickenham.

"I've played in Tokyo once and it was great," said the 28-year-old who has played 68 tests now for the All Blacks, including the 2013 54-6 victory over Japan in Tokyo. "It's always a good week, good food – I love Japanese – a good stadium. That would be brilliant.

"The Bledisloe games are always brilliant and to take it offshore is something they used to do quite a bit before I was in the All Blacks. It always looked like the occasion and the event was awesome."

As for any potential World Cup spinoffs, Smith said they were probably best pondered by the coaching staff.

"It could be [valuable] and I'm sure that's something the coaches will be planning. As a player if you think ahead you sort of set yourself up to fail, and I hate to do that. But I'm sure they (the coaches) will be doing that kind of planning behind the scenes."

Earlier this year Hansen said the 2018 test against Japan, coached by former Highlanders mentor Jamie Joseph, would be ideal preparation ahead of defending the William Webb Ellis Cup the following year.

"It'll give our team the chance to experience the unique environment and culture we will return to the following year," he said.

NZ Rugby boss Steve Tew said after the announcement of the Japan fixture they were "keen to get more familiarity with the country for the players and coaching staff.

"I think it's also going to be very good for building New Zealand up as the second favourite team for the Japanese fans at the Rugby World Cup in 2019."

With the third Bledisloe in 2018 effectively the All Blacks' home fixture, any commercial windfall out of playing the test in Japan would also benefit NZ Rugby who will also be set for a considerable payout from the add-on test against Japan.