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Aiming for what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an pivotal moment.

Matches against the Irish team, Scotland, England and Wales await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, quite aside from the opportunity to join the squads of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the matches will be used as a benchmark to assess the progress of the team under a leader now 24 months into from beginning his tenure.

Present Difficulties

Concerns over a absence of an clear playing identity, ongoing discussions over selection and leavings from the management team have all contributed to the perception that the best-known side in the rugby is currently one in a state of flux.

Most importantly, it is the drop in outcomes from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has led some to theorize that we have transitioned away of the period of Kiwi superiority.

Past Performance

Ahead of their journey for the northern hemisphere, it was revealed that in the coming year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will face South Africa in a summer series termed 'a tour like no other'.

Traditionally the rugby's premier teams, there is no question over who has lately dominated of what marketers have labeled 'The Ultimate Contest'.

During the last decade, the Springboks have won a couple of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a competition against the home nations team to be considered as the squad of their era.

The All Blacks have persisted to beat the Irish team when it counts most, defeating this weekend's rivals in the global competition of 2019 and '23. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just a pair of the recent encounters with the English team, have overcome the Welsh side in all matches since the sixties and have remained unbeaten by Scotland.

Changing Dynamics

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

Although the New Zealand team dominated through the last ten years - achieving eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as winning the World Cup on two occasions - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be regarded as when the hierarchical structure moved in the international rugby.

New Zealand beat the Springboks in their first game of the competition in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the championship match.

After that event, the New Zealand's winning percentage has fallen to seventy-one percent. South Africa themselves lost 10 of their following games but, from the beginning of 2023, have achieved victory at a rate (83%) to compete with even the previous All Blacks side.

Head-to-Head

Over the same period, the 'Boks have secured victory in five of the past fixtures between the opponents, including success in the recent championship match.

While securing their current regional title, Rassie Erasmus' side delivered a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a result which has sparked another round of discussion regarding the progress of the team under their leader.

Perhaps most concerning for followers of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their usual power, the Springboks' success has come with an attacking verve more typically linked with their opposition team.

Style Evolution

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the height of their powers a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of dismantling opponents from any part of the field and at all times of the game.

Today, their attacking style is less defined as the coach, who has handed out 19 debuts during his recent tenure in command, tries to first establish the fundamental foundations of a successful side.

It has recently revealed that the supporting manager in charge of scoring, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the autumn tour, becoming the next individual of management team to leave after another coach walked away last year after just five Tests.

Team Development

It was not only his winning record, but his approach, that was predicted to carry over from previous club when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, so far, the two aspects continue to be a continuous improvement.

Commercial Considerations

After private equity firm Silver Lake bought a stake in All Blacks in recent years, the following communication discussed the "quest of worldwide growth" for the team.

That task has perhaps been more challenging by the lack of a crossover star. The current captain and the collection of family members are still household names in the game, but the spread of talented players has expanded significantly. The captain is the single All Black to receive World Player of the Year in the current era, in comparison to 10 in 13 years between the mid-2000s.

International Growth

Rather, initiatives have been undertaken to introduce the New Zealand team into new territories.

The first leg of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but the American city, a return to the stadium where Ireland achieved a historic win in the contest nine years ago.

After the relaxation of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have additionally