Can the All Blacks find their spark during the fall tour?
Aiming for what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have embarked on their tour at an pivotal moment.
Matches against the Irish team, the Scottish side, the English squad and the Welsh team await Scott Robertson's side across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the opportunity to join the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a yardstick to measure the improvement of the team under a manager now well established from assuming control.
Team Issues
Doubts over a absence of an clear playing identity, continuing controversies over team picks and leavings from the backroom staff have all contributed to the perception that the best-known side in the game is presently one in a state of flux.
Most pertinently, it is the dip in results from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of the last decade that has caused some to speculate that we have transitioned away of the age of All Black exceptionalism.
Recent History
Before their departure for the northern hemisphere, it was revealed that during the following season, in the lack of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will face the Springboks in a off-season matches called 'a unique competition'.
In the past the rugby's premier teams, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what marketers have called 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.
Over the past seven years, the Springboks have claimed a couple of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the British and Irish Lions to be viewed as the side of their period.
The All Blacks have maintained to beat Ireland when it matters most, defeating Saturday's opponents in the tournament knockout stages of 2019 and '23. They have, at the same time, been defeated in just a couple of the recent encounters with the English team, have overcome the Welsh side in every encounter since 1963 and have always been victorious by the Scottish team.
Evolving Landscape
But the diminishment of their position as the game's gold standard will continue to rankle.
While the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the 2010s - securing 87% of their international games, as well as winning the global trophy on two occasions - the global tournament of 2019 can now be seen as when the hierarchical structure shifted in the world sport.
New Zealand defeated South Africa in their first game of the championship in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in the championship match.
From that point, the All Blacks' winning percentage has fallen to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their following games but, since the start of last year, have achieved victory at a rate (83%) to match even the last great New Zealand team.
Recent Encounters
Over the equivalent timeframe, the Springboks have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the teams, including success in the 2023 World Cup final.
In claiming their most recent southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks delivered a significant beating on the All Blacks thanks to dominant performance in the capital, a outcome which has sparked another round of controversy concerning the direction of the squad under their leader.
Possibly most troubling for followers of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their usual power, South Africa's achievement has come with an offensive flair more commonly connected with their own side.
Team Identity
During the period when the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their abilities 10 years ago, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of dismantling opponents from every section of the playing surface and at any point of the contest.
Today, their attacking style is more ambiguous as their leader, who has awarded 19 debuts during his 24 months in control, tries to first establish the more prosaic building blocks of a competitive squad.
It has previously announced that the assistant coach responsible for offense, Jason Holland, will leave his role after the autumn tour, making him the next individual of management team to depart after Leon MacDonald departed last year after just limited matches.
Team Development
It was not only Robertson's success, but his approach, that was expected to transfer from Crusaders when he began his tenure after the recent tournament but, so far, both continue to be a work in progress.
Organizational Strategy
Following private equity firm Silver Lake acquired shares in All Blacks in the past, the subsequent announcement spoke of the "quest of international expansion" for the brand.
That task has maybe been harder by the absence of a global icon. Ardie Savea and the trio of family members continue to be well-known figures in the rugby, but the concentration of stars has become more diverse. The captain is the only New Zealand player to win international honors in the past six seasons, in comparison to ten awards in 13 years between the mid-2000s.
Worldwide Reach
Rather, initiatives have been implemented to establish 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 Soldier Field venue where Ireland obtained a landmark success in the match during past tours.
Since the relaxation of health protocols, the All Blacks have additionally
