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Seeking what would be just a fifth tour victory in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have headed north at an pivotal moment.

Fixtures against the Irish team, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the New Zealand team across the next four weekends but, quite aside from the possibility to equal the teams of previous successful tours in the record books, the games will be used as a measure to measure the development of the side under a leader now well established from assuming control.

Team Issues

Concerns over a absence of an distinctive approach, enduring debates over team picks and leavings from the management team have all added to the perception that the most recognisable team in the sport is now one in a state of flux.

Most pertinently, it is the dip in performances from a historic high watermark set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to speculate that we have evolved beyond of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Past Performance

Before their departure for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that next year, in the absence of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will face the Springboks in a off-season matches called 'a tour like no other'.

Historically the rugby's premier teams, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what promoters have described 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the Springboks have secured a two of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a series against the home nations team to be regarded as the squad of their period.

The All Blacks have maintained to beat the Irish team when it matters most, beating their next challengers in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, meanwhile, lost just a pair of the last fixtures with the English team, have overcome Wales in every encounter since 1963 and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Evolving Landscape

But the decline of their standing as the game's gold standard will remain frustrating.

While the All Blacks reigned supreme through the 2010s - winning 87% of their international games, as well as winning the World Cup on two occasions - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be viewed as when the hierarchical structure moved in the international rugby.

New Zealand defeated the Springboks in their opening match of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in Yokohama.

From that point, the New Zealand's success rate has dropped to seventy-one percent. South Africa themselves lost 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, commencing of last year, have achieved victory at a percentage (83%) to compete with even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

Throughout the comparable duration, the Springboks have secured victory in the majority of the seven meetings between the sides, including victory in the latest global tournament decider.

During their pursuit of their latest continental championship, the Springboks inflicted a significant beating on the New Zealand team through 36 unanswered second-half points in the capital, a result which has triggered another wave of debate concerning the progress of the squad under their leader.

Maybe most troubling for followers of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their characteristic physicality, South Africa's triumph has come with an offensive flair more commonly connected with their own side.

Style Evolution

When the All Blacks were at the peak of their abilities in previous eras, they were a devastating offensive machine capable of destroying rivals from every section of the playing surface and at any point of the game.

Currently, their attacking style is less defined as the coach, who has handed out multiple new players during his recent tenure in charge, tries to primarily create the basic foundations of a competitive squad.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member overseeing scoring, Jason Holland, will leave his role after the fall series, making him the additional person of Robertson's ticket to exit after Leon MacDonald walked away last year after just five Tests.

Team Development

It was not just previous achievements, but his style, that was anticipated to transfer from Crusaders when he took over after the recent tournament but, as yet, the two aspects remain a work in progress.

Commercial Considerations

When private equity firm investors acquired shares in All Blacks in the past, the following communication discussed the "quest of international expansion" for the organization.

That task has possibly been more difficult by the absence of a crossover star. Their key player and the group of related players are still well-known figures in the rugby, but the distribution of stars has expanded significantly. Their leader is the single New Zealand player to receive international honors in the current era, in opposition to 10 in 13 years between 2005 and '07.

Worldwide Reach

Rather, attempts have been undertaken to introduce the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.

The opening phase of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings New Zealand not to Dublin but the American city, a comeback to the stadium where the Irish team achieved a first ever victory in the fixture during past tours.

After the relaxation of health protocols, the New Zealand team have also