Will the All Blacks find their winning form in the upcoming matches?

Seeking what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an interesting juncture.

Games against Ireland, the Scottish side, England and Wales await the All Blacks across the next four weekends but, in addition to the possibility to match the squads of previous successful tours in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a benchmark to evaluate the development of the squad under a manager now well established from assuming control.

Current Challenges

Questions over a shortage of an distinctive approach, ongoing discussions over selection and departures from the management team have all contributed to the perception that the most recognisable team in the rugby is currently one in a state of flux.

Most pertinently, it is the drop in outcomes from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has led some to speculate that we have evolved beyond of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Team Record

Before their departure for the fall series, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a summer series termed 'a tour like no other'.

In the past the rugby's premier teams, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what marketers have called 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the Springboks have claimed a two of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the home nations team to be considered as the team of their generation.

The All Blacks have continued to overcome Ireland when it matters most, overcoming Saturday's opponents in the global competition of the past two tournaments. They have, additionally, lost just two of the recent encounters with the English team, have defeated the Welsh side in each game since over sixty years ago and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Evolving Landscape

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

While the New Zealand team dominated through the previous decade - securing 87% of their fixtures, as well as lifting the World Cup on several instances - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be regarded as when the hierarchical structure moved in the world sport.

New Zealand beat South Africa in their initial fixture of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in the championship match.

After that event, the All Blacks' winning percentage has dropped to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost ten of their next 26 Test matches but, since the start of 2023, have won at a frequency (83%) to compete with even the former Kiwi champions.

Recent Encounters

Over the comparable duration, the Springboks have secured victory in the majority of the seven meetings between the teams, comprising triumph in the recent championship match.

During their pursuit of their latest continental championship, Rassie Erasmus' side inflicted a significant beating on the All Blacks thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a result which has triggered another series of discussion about the direction of the squad under Robertson.

Possibly most jarring for supporters of the All Blacks will be that, combined with their traditional strength, the Springboks' achievement has come with an creative approach more typically linked with their own side.

Style Evolution

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their capabilities 10 years ago, they were a clinical transition team capable of dismantling rivals from any part of the pitch and at all times of the match.

Currently, their playing philosophy is less defined as Robertson, who has awarded multiple new players during his two years in control, tries to first establish the fundamental building blocks of a successful side.

It has already been confirmed that the assistant coach responsible for scoring, Jason Holland, will exit the team after the fall series, becoming the additional person of Robertson's ticket to depart after another coach walked away last year after just five Tests.

Team Development

It was not just his winning record, but his style, that was predicted to carry over from Crusaders when he took over after the recent tournament but, so far, the two aspects remain a continuous improvement.

Commercial Considerations

When private equity firm the company invested capital in New Zealand rugby in 2022, the subsequent announcement mentioned the "pursuit of worldwide growth" for the organization.

That goal has perhaps been more challenging by the lack of a crossover star. Their key player and the trio of family members remain well-known figures in the game, but the concentration of stars has never been spread wider. Their leader is the only All Black to earn international honors in the past six seasons, in contrast to ten awards in multiple seasons between the mid-2000s.

International Growth

Instead, initiatives have been undertaken to establish the New Zealand team into emerging regions.

The first leg of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a return to the location where Ireland obtained a first ever victory in the fixture nine years ago.

Following the relaxation of health protocols, the New Zealand team have additionally