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Pursuing what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their storied history, the All Blacks have headed north at an interesting juncture.

Fixtures against the Irish team, the Scottish side, England and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the upcoming weeks but, beyond the possibility to equal the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the matches will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the improvement of the team under a head coach now 24 months into from taking up the reins.

Present Difficulties

Doubts over a absence of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over team picks and leavings from the management team have all contributed to the sense that the best-known side in the game is now one in a state of flux.

Most pertinently, it is the dip in outcomes from a previous peak set between the World Cups of the last decade that has caused some to suggest that we have moved out of the age of All Black exceptionalism.

Recent History

Ahead of their journey for the fall series, it was revealed that in the coming year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face South Africa in a off-season matches termed 'a tour like no other'.

Traditionally the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has recently got the better of what organizers have described 'The Ultimate Contest'.

In recent seasons, the South African team have secured a couple of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the British and Irish Lions to be viewed as the squad of their generation.

New Zealand have persisted to overcome Ireland when it counts most, beating Saturday's opponents in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, additionally, lost just a couple of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have overcome Wales in each game since the sixties and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Changing Dynamics

But the loss of their standing as the rugby's benchmark will persist as an irritation.

Whereas the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the 2010s - winning eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as lifting the World Cup on several instances - the global tournament of 2019 can now be viewed as when the competitive landscape shifted in the global game.

The All Blacks defeated the Springboks in their opening match of the competition in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the championship match.

From that point, the New Zealand's success rate has fallen to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their following games but, from the beginning of 2023, have achieved victory at a rate (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the previous All Blacks side.

Recent Encounters

Throughout the same period, the 'Boks have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the teams, comprising success in the latest global tournament decider.

During their pursuit of their current southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks administered a record 43-10 defeat on the All Blacks thanks to overwhelming display in their home ground, a result which has ignited another series of controversy concerning the progress of the team under Robertson.

Possibly most concerning for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their characteristic physicality, South Africa's achievement has come with an attacking verve more commonly connected with their traditional rivals.

Playing Philosophy

At the time that the All Blacks were at the peak of their abilities in previous eras, they were a devastating offensive machine equipped of dismantling competitors from all areas of the field and at any moment of the game.

Currently, their attacking style is more ambiguous as Robertson, who has given 19 debuts during his 24 months in command, tries to initially build the more prosaic building blocks of a competitive squad.

It has recently revealed that the backroom staff member responsible for attack, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the fall series, making him the additional person of the coaching staff to leave after previous staff member left last year after just limited matches.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not only Robertson's success, but his style, that was anticipated to transfer from previous club when he took over after the recent tournament but, as yet, both remain a continuous improvement.

Organizational Strategy

Following private equity firm Silver Lake acquired shares in New Zealand rugby in the past, the subsequent announcement mentioned the "search of international expansion" for the brand.

That goal has perhaps been harder by the lack of a global icon. The current captain and the trio of related players continue to be recognizable personalities in the rugby, but the spread of stars has never been spread wider. Savea is the sole All Black to receive World Player of the Year in the current era, in opposition to ten awards in over a decade between previous generations.

International Growth

Instead, initiatives have been undertaken to transplant the All Blacks into new territories.

The opening phase of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a return to the stadium where Ireland achieved a landmark success in the fixture nine years ago.

After the easing of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have furthermore