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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 the Irish team, the Scottish side, the English squad and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, quite aside from the chance to join the squads of previous successful tours in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a yardstick to assess the progress of the squad under a manager now 24 months into from assuming control.

Present Difficulties

Concerns over a absence of an distinctive approach, ongoing discussions over selection and exits from the coaching ticket have all fueled the feeling that the best-known side in the game is presently one in a state of flux.

Most significantly, it is the dip in outcomes from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has led some to theorize that we have transitioned away of the era of New Zealand dominance.

Team Record

Prior to their journey for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that in the coming year, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will meet the Springboks in a warm-weather tour termed 'a tour like no other'.

In the past the game's two strongest sides, there is no question over who has currently outperformed of what organizers have described 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the South African team have won a pair of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a competition against the British and Irish Lions to be considered as the side of their era.

New Zealand have persisted to overcome Ireland when it matters most, defeating Saturday's opponents in the global competition of recent years. They have, at the same time, been defeated in just a couple of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have overcome the Welsh side in every encounter since 1963 and have always been victorious by the Scottish team.

Shifting Balance

But the diminishment of their status as the rugby's benchmark will remain frustrating.

While the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the last ten years - securing 87% of their fixtures, as well as lifting the global trophy on two occasions - the World Cup of 2019 can now be viewed as when the hierarchical structure shifted in the international rugby.

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 ultimately triumphant in the championship match.

From that point, the All Blacks' victory ratio has fallen to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their next 26 Test matches but, from the beginning of last year, have won at a rate (eighty-three percent) to rival even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

Over the comparable duration, the South African team have secured victory in five of the past fixtures between the sides, including triumph in the 2023 World Cup final.

During their pursuit of their current continental championship, the Springboks administered a historic loss on the All Blacks through dominant performance in Wellington, a score which has triggered another round of discussion about the development of the side under the coach.

Perhaps most concerning for followers of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their traditional strength, the Springboks' achievement has come with an attacking verve more commonly connected with their own side.

Team Identity

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the peak of their abilities a decade past, they were a devastating offensive machine able of shredding rivals from all areas of the field and at any moment of the contest.

Currently, their offensive approach is more ambiguous as their leader, who has handed out multiple new players during his recent tenure in control, tries to initially build the more prosaic foundations of a winning team.

It has already been confirmed that the supporting manager overseeing scoring, Jason Holland, will depart his position after the autumn tour, becoming the additional person of management team to depart after another coach left last year after just a handful of games.

Performance Gap

It was not only Robertson's success, but his style, that was expected to transfer from his former team when he began his tenure after the 2023 World Cup but, as yet, the two aspects remain a work in progress.

Business Factors

When investment group the company invested capital in New Zealand rugby in recent years, the following communication mentioned the "pursuit of worldwide growth" for the team.

That goal has possibly been more difficult by the shortage of a crossover star. Their key player and the group of family members are still well-known figures in the sport, but the distribution of talented players has become more diverse. Savea is the sole All Black to win World Player of the Year in the current era, in contrast to 10 in multiple seasons between the mid-2000s.

Worldwide Reach

Rather, initiatives have been undertaken to establish the All Blacks into new territories.

The opening phase of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a return to the Soldier Field venue where Ireland obtained a first ever victory in the contest in previous seasons.

Following the relaxation of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have also