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Aiming for what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their legendary past, the All Blacks have traveled to Europe at an crucial period.

Fixtures against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the next four weekends but, beyond the chance to match the sides of previous successful tours in the record books, the games will be used as a measure to evaluate the development of the team under a manager now well established from taking up the reins.

Team Issues

Questions over a shortage of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over player choices and exits from the backroom staff have all added to the perception that the most famous squad in the sport is currently one in a period of transition.

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

Recent History

Ahead of their travel for the fall series, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the absence of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a warm-weather tour called 'an unprecedented series'.

In the past the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what organizers have described 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

Over the past seven years, the Springboks have won a pair of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be considered as the team of their period.

The All Blacks have persisted to beat Ireland when it is crucial, beating their next challengers in the global competition of the past two tournaments. They have, additionally, been defeated in just two of the recent encounters with England, have beaten Wales in every encounter since 1963 and have never suffered defeat by the Scottish team.

Shifting Balance

But the diminishment of their position as the game's gold standard will continue to rankle.

While the All Blacks reigned supreme through the previous decade - achieving eighty-seven percent of their international games, as well as winning the Webb Ellis on multiple times - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be viewed as when the competitive landscape shifted in the world sport.

New Zealand defeated South Africa in their opening match of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in the championship match.

From that point, the All Blacks' winning percentage has dropped to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their subsequent fixtures but, since the start of 2023, have achieved victory at a frequency (83%) to match even the previous All Blacks side.

Head-to-Head

Over the comparable duration, the South African team have secured victory in the majority of the seven meetings between the opponents, comprising triumph in the latest global tournament decider.

While securing their current regional title, the Springboks administered a historic loss on the All Blacks through 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a score which has triggered another wave of controversy regarding the direction of the squad under Robertson.

Possibly most troubling for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their characteristic physicality, the Springboks' success has come with an offensive flair more commonly connected with their own side.

Team Identity

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the height of their powers in previous eras, they were a devastating offensive machine equipped of dismantling competitors from every section of the playing surface and at any moment of the match.

Currently, their playing philosophy is less defined as Robertson, who has awarded 19 debuts during his recent tenure in charge, tries to first establish the basic foundations of a winning team.

It has previously announced that the assistant coach in charge of scoring, Jason Holland, will depart his position after the autumn tour, becoming the additional person of Robertson's ticket to exit after previous staff member walked away last year after just five Tests.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not merely previous achievements, but his approach, that was anticipated to translate from previous club when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, so far, the two aspects remain a continuous improvement.

Business Factors

After investment group the company acquired shares in New Zealand rugby in the past, the following communication discussed the "quest of international expansion" for the brand.

That goal has perhaps been more challenging by the lack of a crossover star. Their key player and the group of family members remain household names in the sport, but the spread of key individuals has never been spread wider. The captain is the only New Zealand player to earn global recognition in the current era, in contrast to 10 in over a decade between previous generations.

Global Expansion

Instead, efforts have been undertaken to transplant the All Blacks into new territories.

The opening phase of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a comeback to the location where the Irish team secured a landmark success in the contest during past tours.

After the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have furthermore