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Aiming for what would be just a fifth tour victory in their legendary past, the All Blacks have embarked on their tour at an interesting juncture.

Games against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, in addition to the possibility to join the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the matches will be used as a measure to measure the improvement of the squad under a leader now well established from assuming control.

Current Challenges

Concerns over a absence of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over team picks and departures from the coaching ticket have all fueled the sense that the best-known side in the game is currently one in a time of change.

Most importantly, it is the decline in results from a historic high watermark set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has prompted some to suggest that we have moved out of the era of All Black exceptionalism.

Recent History

Prior to their departure for the fall series, it was revealed that next year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a warm-weather tour termed 'a unique competition'.

Historically the sport's top competitors, there is clear agreement over who has lately dominated of what organizers have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the South African team have claimed a two of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a series against the British and Irish Lions to be viewed as the side of their period.

The All Blacks have continued to defeat Ireland when it is crucial, defeating their next challengers in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, meanwhile, lost just two of the past 21 meetings with England, have beaten the Welsh side in each game since 1963 and have always been victorious by the Scottish team.

Shifting Balance

But the decline of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will continue to rankle.

While the All Blacks reigned supreme through the 2010s - securing eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as winning the global trophy on two occasions - the World Cup of 2019 can now be regarded as when the hierarchical structure shifted in the world sport.

New Zealand overcame the Springboks in their first game of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in Yokohama.

After that event, the New Zealand's victory ratio has dropped to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves were defeated in ten of their following games but, since the start of last year, have won at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to rival even the former Kiwi champions.

Direct Competition

During the equivalent timeframe, the Springboks have won five of the seven meetings between the teams, including victory in the latest global tournament decider.

During their pursuit of their current southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks inflicted a significant beating on the All Blacks courtesy of 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a outcome which has triggered another series of controversy about the progress of the side under Robertson.

Possibly most jarring for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, South Africa's triumph has come with an offensive flair more typically linked with their opposition team.

Style Evolution

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the peak of their abilities a decade past, they were a devastating offensive machine able of shredding competitors from every section of the pitch and at all times of the match.

Today, their playing philosophy is less defined as the coach, who has awarded 19 debuts during his 24 months in command, tries to first establish the basic foundations of a winning team.

It has recently revealed that the assistant coach overseeing attack, Jason Holland, will leave his role after the autumn tour, becoming the additional person of management team to leave after another coach left last year after just five Tests.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not only Robertson's success, but his style, that was predicted to translate from his former team when he assumed control after the 2023 World Cup but, to date, each are still a work in progress.

Business Factors

After financial organization the company acquired shares in All Blacks in recent years, the ensuing statement mentioned the "quest of worldwide growth" for the team.

That goal has possibly been harder by the absence of a crossover star. Ardie Savea and the trio of family members continue to be household names in the game, but the distribution of talented players has become more diverse. Savea is the single New Zealand player to win global recognition in the current era, in comparison to 10 in 13 years between the mid-2000s.

International Growth

Instead, initiatives have been implemented to transplant the New Zealand team into new territories.

The opening phase of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but the American city, a revisit to the stadium where Ireland secured a historic win in the match during past tours.

Following the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have furthermore