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Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have headed north at an crucial period.

Fixtures against Ireland, the Scottish side, England and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the coming month but, quite aside from the opportunity to match the squads of previous successful tours in the annals of rugby, the matches will be used as a yardstick to assess the development of the squad under a head coach now two years on from taking up the reins.

Current Challenges

Concerns over a lack of an clear playing identity, continuing controversies over team picks and leavings from the backroom staff have all fueled the sense that the most famous squad in the sport is currently one in a state of flux.

Most significantly, it is the drop in performances from a past excellence set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has prompted some to suggest that we have transitioned away of the era of All Black exceptionalism.

Past Performance

Ahead of their travel for the European tour, it was revealed that during the following season, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will play the Springboks in a off-season matches called 'a tour like no other'.

In the past the game's two strongest sides, there is little doubt over who has lately dominated of what organizers have labeled 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the Springboks have secured a pair of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the northern hemisphere selection to be regarded as the squad of their generation.

The All Blacks have continued to overcome the Irish team when it matters most, overcoming their next challengers in the tournament knockout stages of the past two tournaments. They have, at the same time, lost just a pair of the recent encounters with England, have beaten the Welsh side in every encounter since the sixties and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Evolving Landscape

But the diminishment of their position as the sport's measure of excellence will continue to rankle.

Whereas the All Blacks dominated through the previous decade - securing 87% of their Test matches, as well as winning the global trophy on two occasions - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be regarded as when the balance of power changed in the world sport.

The All Blacks overcame the Springboks in their first game of the tournament in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in Yokohama.

After that event, the New Zealand's success rate has declined to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their following games but, since the start of 2023, have achieved victory at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to match even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

Throughout the comparable duration, the Springboks have won the majority of the seven meetings between the teams, including triumph in the recent championship match.

In claiming their latest regional title, Rassie Erasmus' side administered a significant beating on the New Zealand team through 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a outcome which has ignited another series of controversy concerning the development of the side under their leader.

Perhaps most concerning for followers of the New Zealand team will be that, combined with their usual power, the Springboks' achievement has come with an creative approach more usually associated with their traditional rivals.

Style Evolution

At the time that the New Zealand team were at the height of their powers 10 years ago, they were a clinical transition team capable of dismantling opponents from all areas of the field and at all times of the game.

Now, their attacking style is less defined as their leader, who has awarded 19 debuts during his two years in control, tries to first establish the basic foundations of a competitive squad.

It has recently revealed that the assistant coach in charge of offense, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the fall series, making him the second member of management team to exit after previous staff member left last year after just five Tests.

Performance Gap

It was not merely previous achievements, but his approach, that was anticipated to transfer from Crusaders when he began his tenure after the recent tournament but, so far, each are still a work in progress.

Organizational Strategy

When private equity firm Silver Lake bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in recent years, the following communication discussed the "quest of new global opportunities" for the brand.

That goal has possibly been more difficult by the absence of a global icon. The current captain and the group of family members remain well-known figures in the rugby, but the spread of talented players has become more diverse. The captain is the sole New Zealand player to receive international honors in the past six seasons, in contrast to 10 in multiple seasons between the mid-2000s.

International Growth

Alternatively, efforts have been made to transplant the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.

The opening phase of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to Dublin but Chicago, a revisit to the location where Ireland achieved a historic win in the match during past tours.

Since the relaxation of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have furthermore