Will the All Blacks regain their magic during the fall tour?
Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an crucial period.
Matches against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the next four weekends but, quite aside from the possibility to join the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the record books, the fixtures will be used as a measure to assess the progress of the team under a manager now well established from beginning his tenure.
Team Issues
Concerns over a absence of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over player choices and exits from the backroom staff have all fueled the perception that the best-known side in the game is presently one in a time of change.
Most pertinently, it is the dip in results from a past excellence set between the World Cups of the last decade that has caused some to suggest that we have moved out of the era of All Black exceptionalism.
Recent History
Before their travel for the fall series, it was confirmed that during the following season, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will play South Africa in a off-season matches termed 'a tour like no other'.
Historically the game's two strongest sides, there is no question over who has lately dominated of what marketers have described 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.
During the last decade, the Springboks have won a pair of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the squad of their generation.
New Zealand have continued to defeat the Irish team when it counts most, beating Saturday's opponents in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, meanwhile, lost just a pair of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have defeated Wales in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have remained unbeaten by Scotland.
Shifting Balance
But the diminishment of their status as the rugby's benchmark will persist as an irritation.
Whereas the New Zealand team dominated through the 2010s - securing eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as lifting the global trophy on multiple times - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be seen as when the competitive landscape moved in the world sport.
The All Blacks beat South Africa in their first game of the championship in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in the championship match.
After that event, the New Zealand's 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 achieved victory at a frequency (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the former Kiwi champions.
Recent Encounters
Throughout the comparable duration, the 'Boks have secured victory in five of the recent encounters between the teams, comprising triumph in the latest global tournament decider.
While securing their latest regional title, the Springboks delivered a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a outcome which has ignited another round of discussion concerning the development of the team under the coach.
Perhaps most concerning for fans of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their traditional strength, the Springboks' triumph has come with an offensive flair more usually associated with their own side.
Playing Philosophy
When the All Blacks were at the peak of their powers 10 years ago, they were a clinical transition team capable of dismantling opponents from every section of the field and at any moment of the contest.
Now, their attacking style is more ambiguous as the coach, who has given 19 debuts during his 24 months in command, tries to initially build the fundamental foundations of a competitive squad.
It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member responsible for attack, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the fall series, becoming the additional person of the coaching staff to depart after another coach departed last year after just a handful of games.
Performance Gap
It was not just his winning record, but his approach, that was expected to carry over from previous club when he assumed control after the recent tournament but, to date, each remain a ongoing development.
Commercial Considerations
After financial organization investors acquired shares in All Blacks in the past, the following communication spoke of the "quest of worldwide growth" for the organization.
That goal has perhaps been more difficult by the shortage of a international celebrity. Their key player and the group of Barrett brothers continue to be recognizable personalities in the sport, but the distribution of talented players has never been spread wider. Savea is the single New Zealand player to receive global recognition in the current era, in contrast to 10 in 13 years between previous generations.
International Growth
Alternatively, attempts have been implemented to transplant the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.
The initial stage of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but Chicago, a revisit to the stadium where the Irish team obtained a first ever victory in the fixture nine years ago.
Since the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have furthermore
