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Pursuing what would be just a fifth tour victory in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have headed north at an interesting juncture.

Matches against the Irish team, the Scottish side, the English squad and the Welsh team await the All Blacks across the upcoming weeks but, beyond the opportunity to match the squads of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the record books, the fixtures will be used as a measure to assess the progress of the team under a head coach now well established from beginning his tenure.

Team Issues

Questions over a shortage of an identifiable style, ongoing discussions over team picks and departures from the backroom staff have all fueled the perception that the best-known side in the sport is currently one in a time of change.

Most importantly, it is the drop in performances from a historic high watermark set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has caused some to speculate that we have moved out of the age of Kiwi superiority.

Past Performance

Before their journey for the northern hemisphere, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a warm-weather tour dubbed 'an unprecedented series'.

Traditionally the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has lately dominated of what organizers have called 'The Premier Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the South African team have claimed a couple of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a competition against the British and Irish Lions to be regarded as the squad of their era.

The All Blacks have maintained to defeat Ireland when it is crucial, defeating Saturday's opponents in the tournament knockout stages of 2019 and '23. They have, additionally, been defeated in just a couple of the last fixtures with the English team, have beaten the Welsh side in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Evolving Landscape

But the decline of their standing as the game's gold standard will persist as an irritation.

While the New Zealand team dominated through the 2010s - securing 87% of their international games, as well as winning the Webb Ellis on two occasions - the global tournament of 2019 can now be seen as when the competitive landscape moved in the international rugby.

The All Blacks beat South Africa in their initial fixture of the championship in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were eventually successful in the final.

From that point, the New Zealand's winning percentage has dropped to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, commencing of 2023, have achieved victory at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to match even the previous All Blacks side.

Direct Competition

During the comparable duration, the South African team have secured victory in five of the past fixtures between the teams, featuring success in the 2023 World Cup final.

During their pursuit of their most recent southern hemisphere crown, South Africa delivered a record 43-10 defeat on the All Blacks thanks to overwhelming display in the capital, a outcome which has triggered another wave of debate concerning the progress of the team under Robertson.

Maybe most troubling for fans of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their usual power, South Africa's success has come with an attacking verve more usually associated with their traditional rivals.

Team Identity

When the New Zealand team were at the peak of their capabilities a decade past, they were a devastating offensive machine equipped of shredding rivals from any part of the pitch and at any point of the game.

Now, their playing philosophy is unclear as Robertson, who has given multiple new players during his recent tenure in charge, tries to first establish the more prosaic core elements of a successful side.

It has previously announced that the supporting manager in charge of offense, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the upcoming matches, becoming the additional person of the coaching staff to leave after Leon MacDonald departed last year after just five Tests.

Team Development

It was not just his winning record, but his methodology, that was anticipated to translate from his former team when he began his tenure after the recent tournament but, as yet, the two aspects remain a ongoing development.

Commercial Considerations

When financial organization the company bought a stake in All Blacks in 2022, the following communication mentioned the "search of worldwide growth" for the brand.

That goal has possibly been more challenging by the shortage of a crossover star. The current captain and the group of Barrett brothers remain recognizable personalities in the rugby, but the distribution of talented players has expanded significantly. Savea is the single All Black to earn global recognition in the recent years, in opposition to 10 in multiple seasons between 2005 and '07.

Worldwide Reach

Alternatively, initiatives have been made to transplant the New Zealand team into new territories.

The opening phase of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a return to the stadium where the Irish team achieved a first ever victory in the contest in previous seasons.

Following the relaxation of health protocols, the New Zealand team have also