Can the All Blacks find their winning form during the fall tour?
Aiming for what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an pivotal moment.
Matches against the Irish team, Scotland, England and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the coming month but, beyond the opportunity to match the sides of previous successful tours in the record books, the matches will be used as a benchmark to evaluate the progress of the squad under a leader now 24 months into from assuming control.
Present Difficulties
Doubts over a lack of an identifiable style, ongoing discussions over team picks and departures from the backroom staff have all added to the feeling that the most famous squad in the sport is presently one in a period of transition.
Most importantly, it is the drop in performances from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has led some to suggest that we have moved out of the period of All Black exceptionalism.
Recent History
Before their journey for the fall series, it was revealed that next year, in the lack of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a summer series called 'a tour like no other'.
Historically the rugby's premier teams, there is clear agreement over who has currently outperformed of what organizers have labeled 'The Ultimate Contest'.
Over the past seven years, the South African team have won a two of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the northern hemisphere selection to be regarded as the team of their era.
The All Blacks have persisted to defeat Ireland when it matters most, defeating Saturday's opponents in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just two of the last fixtures with the English team, have beaten the Welsh side in all matches since 1963 and have remained unbeaten by Scotland.
Shifting Balance
But the loss of their status as the rugby's benchmark will remain frustrating.
Although the All Blacks reigned supreme through the last ten years - winning eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as winning the World Cup on two occasions - the global tournament of 2019 can now be viewed as when the balance of power moved in the international rugby.
New Zealand overcame South Africa in their initial fixture of the championship in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the championship match.
From that point, the All Blacks' winning percentage has fallen to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves were defeated in 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, from the beginning of last year, have won at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the previous All Blacks side.
Recent Encounters
Over the same period, the 'Boks have won the majority of the past fixtures between the opponents, including success in the recent championship match.
While securing their most recent continental championship, the Springboks delivered a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team courtesy of dominant performance in Wellington, a score which has triggered another series of debate about the progress of the squad under their leader.
Possibly most concerning for fans of the All Blacks will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, the Springboks' triumph has come with an creative approach more usually associated with their own side.
Playing Philosophy
During the period when the All Blacks were at the height of their abilities in previous eras, they were a clinical transition team able of dismantling rivals from all areas of the playing surface and at all times of the game.
Today, their offensive approach is less defined as Robertson, who has handed out numerous first caps during his two years in command, tries to first establish the fundamental 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 second member of management team to exit after previous staff member left last year after just limited matches.
Performance Gap
It was not merely his winning record, but his methodology, that was predicted to carry over from his former team when he took over after the recent tournament but, so far, the two aspects continue to be a continuous improvement.
Business Factors
Following private equity firm investors acquired shares in All Blacks in 2022, the following communication spoke of the "quest of international expansion" for the brand.
That task has possibly been more difficult by the shortage of a crossover star. The current captain and the collection of Barrett brothers are still recognizable personalities in the sport, but the concentration of stars has expanded significantly. The captain is the only All Black to earn international honors in the current era, in contrast to ten awards in over a decade between the mid-2000s.
Global Expansion
Alternatively, attempts have been made to establish the New Zealand team into previously untapped markets.
The initial stage of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a return to the location where the Irish team secured a historic win in the contest nine years ago.
Since the reduction of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have furthermore
