Can the All Blacks regain their winning form during the fall tour?
Seeking what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have headed north at an crucial period.
Games against the Irish team, the Scottish side, England and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the next four weekends but, in addition to the opportunity to equal the squads of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the record books, the games will be used as a benchmark to evaluate the improvement of the side under a leader now well established from assuming control.
Present Difficulties
Questions over a shortage of an distinctive approach, enduring debates over team picks and exits from the management team have all contributed to the feeling that the best-known side in the rugby is now one in a period of transition.
Most importantly, it is the dip in results from a previous peak set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has prompted some to suggest that we have evolved beyond of the age of Kiwi superiority.
Past Performance
Prior to their departure for the European tour, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will face South Africa in a warm-weather tour dubbed 'a unique competition'.
Historically the rugby's premier teams, there is no question over who has recently got the better of what promoters have called 'The Ultimate Contest'.
During the last decade, the Springboks have claimed a two of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a competition against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the team of their period.
The All Blacks have continued to overcome Ireland when it matters most, overcoming Saturday's opponents in the tournament knockout stages of 2019 and '23. They have, at the same time, lost just a pair of the last fixtures with the English team, have overcome the Welsh side in each game since the sixties and have always been victorious by the Scottish team.
Changing Dynamics
But the decline of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will continue to rankle.
While the New Zealand team excelled through the last ten years - winning eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as winning the World Cup on multiple times - the World Cup of 2019 can now be seen as when the hierarchical structure moved in the world sport.
The All Blacks defeated South Africa in their initial fixture of the championship in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in the final.
After that event, the New Zealand's winning percentage has fallen to seventy-one percent. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their subsequent fixtures but, commencing of last year, have achieved victory at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the former Kiwi champions.
Direct Competition
Throughout the same period, the Springboks have secured victory in five of the recent encounters between the opponents, featuring success in the 2023 World Cup final.
While securing their latest southern hemisphere crown, Rassie Erasmus' side inflicted a historic loss on the New Zealand team through 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a result which has sparked another round of debate about the development of the team under Robertson.
Perhaps most concerning for followers of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their traditional strength, the Springboks' achievement has come with an offensive flair more typically linked with their opposition team.
Playing Philosophy
When the All Blacks were at the height of their abilities a decade past, they were a devastating offensive machine capable of shredding opponents from any part of the pitch and at any moment of the game.
Now, their playing philosophy is more ambiguous as the coach, who has awarded 19 debuts during his two years in charge, tries to primarily create the more prosaic foundations of a winning team.
It has recently revealed that the supporting manager in charge of attack, the current coach, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, becoming the second member of the coaching staff to exit after Leon MacDonald walked away last year after just limited matches.
Performance Gap
It was not only Robertson's success, but his approach, that was anticipated to transfer from his former team when he began his tenure after the recent tournament but, to date, the two aspects are still a continuous improvement.
Commercial Considerations
After investment group the company acquired shares in New Zealand rugby in 2022, the subsequent announcement spoke of the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the brand.
That task has possibly been more challenging by the shortage of a crossover star. Their key player and the collection of Barrett brothers continue to be household names in the rugby, but the distribution of talented players has never been spread wider. Savea is the sole New Zealand player to earn global recognition in the recent years, in contrast to ten awards in multiple seasons between previous generations.
Worldwide Reach
Rather, attempts have been undertaken to establish the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.
The first leg of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to Dublin but the American city, a comeback to the location where Ireland secured a historic win in the contest nine years ago.
After the reduction of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have additionally