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

Matches against Ireland, the Scottish side, England and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the upcoming weeks 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 benchmark to evaluate the development of the side under a manager now well established from assuming control.

Current Challenges

Concerns over a lack of an distinctive approach, continuing controversies over player choices and departures from the management team have all fueled the sense that the best-known side in the sport is currently one in a period of transition.

Most significantly, it is the dip in results from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has led some to theorize that we have transitioned away of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Team Record

Ahead of their travel for the European tour, it was confirmed that during the following season, in the lack of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will face South Africa in a off-season matches called 'a tour like no other'.

Traditionally the game's two strongest sides, there is no question over who has recently got the better of what promoters have labeled 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

Over the past seven years, the South African team have secured a two of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the side of their era.

The All Blacks have maintained to defeat the Irish team when it matters most, beating this weekend's rivals in the global competition of 2019 and '23. They have, additionally, lost just a pair of the last fixtures with England, have defeated Wales in every encounter since 1963 and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.

Shifting Balance

But the decline of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will remain frustrating.

While the All Blacks dominated through the 2010s - achieving 87% of their fixtures, as well as winning the World Cup on several instances - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be seen as when the balance of power moved in the global game.

New Zealand overcame the Springboks in their initial fixture of the tournament in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were ultimately triumphant in Yokohama.

From that point, the All Blacks' success rate has fallen to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their subsequent fixtures but, since the start of last year, have achieved victory at a percentage (83%) to match even the previous All Blacks side.

Head-to-Head

During the same period, the South African team have secured victory in five of the recent encounters between the opponents, including success in the 2023 World Cup final.

During their pursuit of their latest southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks inflicted a historic loss on the All Blacks through 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a outcome which has ignited another series of debate regarding the development of the squad under their leader.

Maybe most troubling for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their characteristic physicality, South Africa's triumph has come with an offensive flair more typically linked with their traditional rivals.

Playing Philosophy

When the New Zealand team were at the peak of their abilities a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of shredding opponents from all areas of the playing surface and at any point of the contest.

Today, their offensive approach is less defined as Robertson, who has given numerous first caps during his two years in command, tries to primarily create the more prosaic building blocks of a winning team.

It has recently revealed that the assistant coach overseeing offense, the current coach, will depart his position after the autumn tour, becoming the second member of management team to exit after previous staff member departed last year after just limited matches.

Team Development

It was not only his winning record, but his methodology, that was predicted to carry over from his former team when he took over after the global competition but, so far, the two aspects continue to be a work in progress.

Organizational Strategy

When private equity firm the company invested capital in New Zealand rugby in the past, the following communication spoke of the "quest of new global opportunities" for the organization.

That task has possibly been more challenging by the lack of a global icon. Their key player and the group of Barrett brothers continue to be recognizable personalities in the rugby, but the concentration of talented players has expanded significantly. Savea is the single All Black to receive international honors in the recent years, in comparison to 10 in over a decade between 2005 and '07.

Worldwide Reach

Alternatively, efforts have been implemented to transplant the New Zealand team into new territories.

The initial stage of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a comeback to the stadium where the Irish team achieved a historic win in the match nine years ago.

After the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have also