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Pursuing what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their storied history, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an crucial period.

Matches against Ireland, the Scottish side, England and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the chance to join the sides of previous successful tours in the record books, the fixtures will be used as a benchmark to evaluate the progress of the team under a leader now 24 months into from taking up the reins.

Present Difficulties

Questions over a shortage of an clear playing identity, ongoing discussions over player choices and departures from the coaching ticket have all added to the feeling that the most famous squad in the rugby is presently one in a period of transition.

Most significantly, it is the dip in results from a past excellence set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has prompted some to suggest that we have moved out of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Past Performance

Before their journey for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that next year, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will meet the Springboks in a warm-weather tour termed 'a tour like no other'.

Historically the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has recently got the better of what organizers have described 'The Ultimate Contest'.

During the last decade, the South African team have claimed a pair of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the British and Irish Lions to be viewed as the squad of their generation.

New Zealand have maintained to beat the Irish team when it matters most, beating Saturday's opponents in the global competition of recent years. They have, additionally, been defeated in just two of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have overcome Wales in every encounter since 1963 and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.

Shifting Balance

But the loss of their status as the game's gold standard will persist as an irritation.

Although the All Blacks excelled through the 2010s - achieving 87% of their international games, as well as winning the global trophy on several instances - the World Cup of 2019 can now be regarded as when the balance of power shifted in the global game.

The All Blacks overcame South Africa in their initial fixture of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in Yokohama.

After that event, the All Blacks' victory ratio has dropped to seventy-one percent. South Africa themselves were defeated in 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, since the start of last year, have achieved victory at a percentage (83%) to compete with even the previous All Blacks side.

Head-to-Head

During the equivalent timeframe, the Springboks have won five of the seven meetings between the sides, including triumph in the recent championship match.

While securing their latest southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks delivered a significant beating on the All Blacks thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in the capital, a outcome which has ignited another wave of controversy about the direction of the squad under their leader.

Perhaps most jarring for followers of the All Blacks will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, South Africa's achievement has come with an attacking verve more typically linked with their own side.

Style Evolution

When the All Blacks were at the zenith of their powers a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of destroying competitors from all areas of the playing surface and at all times of the game.

Now, their playing philosophy is unclear as Robertson, who has handed out 19 debuts during his 24 months in control, tries to first establish the more prosaic foundations of a competitive squad.

It has recently revealed that the backroom staff member responsible for scoring, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the upcoming matches, becoming the second member of Robertson's ticket to exit after previous staff member departed last year after just limited matches.

Team Development

It was not merely his winning record, but his approach, that was predicted to carry over from previous club when he assumed control after the global competition but, as yet, each continue to be a work in progress.

Organizational Strategy

When financial organization the company acquired shares in All Blacks in 2022, the following communication discussed the "search of international expansion" for the organization.

That goal has possibly been harder by the lack of a international celebrity. Their key player and the group of family members continue to be recognizable personalities in the rugby, but the concentration of talented players has never been spread wider. Savea is the sole All Black to earn international honors in the recent years, in contrast to ten awards in over a decade between the mid-2000s.

Worldwide Reach

Instead, initiatives have been made to introduce the New Zealand team into previously untapped markets.

The initial stage of this northern hemisphere series brings New Zealand not to Dublin but the American city, a revisit to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team secured a historic win in the fixture nine years ago.

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