Will the All Blacks regain their magic during the fall tour?
Seeking what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have embarked on their tour at an pivotal moment.
Fixtures against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, beyond the chance to match the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a yardstick to assess the improvement of the side under a manager now 24 months into from beginning his tenure.
Current Challenges
Questions over a absence of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over player choices and exits from the coaching ticket have all fueled the perception that the best-known side in the rugby is presently one in a period of transition.
Most importantly, it is the dip in results from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of the last decade that has led some to suggest that we have moved out of the age of All Black exceptionalism.
Team Record
Ahead of their departure for the fall series, it was confirmed that during the following season, in the absence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will meet South Africa in a off-season matches dubbed 'a unique competition'.
Traditionally the rugby's premier teams, there is no question over who has lately dominated of what promoters have labeled 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.
During the last decade, the Springboks have claimed a two of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a competition against the British and Irish Lions to be viewed as the team of their period.
New Zealand have persisted to overcome the Irish team when it is crucial, beating this weekend's rivals in the global competition of recent years. They have, additionally, lost just a couple of the recent encounters with England, have defeated the Welsh side in all matches since 1963 and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.
Shifting Balance
But the loss of their position as the rugby's benchmark will persist as an irritation.
Although the All Blacks reigned supreme through the last ten years - securing eighty-seven percent of their international games, as well as lifting the global trophy on multiple times - the World Cup of 2019 can now be viewed as when the competitive landscape shifted in the international rugby.
New Zealand overcame the Springboks in their first game of the championship in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in the championship match.
After that event, the All Blacks' winning percentage has dropped to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves were defeated in 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, since the start of last year, have won at a rate (eighty-three percent) to match even the last great New Zealand team.
Recent Encounters
Over the comparable duration, the Springboks have secured victory in five of the recent encounters between the opponents, comprising victory in the latest global tournament decider.
During their pursuit of their most recent southern hemisphere crown, Rassie Erasmus' side administered a historic loss on the New Zealand team courtesy of 36 unanswered second-half points in the capital, a result which has triggered another wave of debate about the direction of the side under Robertson.
Maybe most concerning for followers of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their usual power, the Springboks' triumph has come with an offensive flair more commonly connected with their own side.
Style Evolution
During the period when the New Zealand team were at the peak of their abilities in previous eras, they were a clinical transition team capable of destroying opponents from every section of the playing surface and at any moment of the match.
Today, their offensive approach is less defined as Robertson, who has given numerous first caps during his recent tenure in control, tries to primarily create the more prosaic foundations of a winning team.
It has recently revealed that the supporting manager responsible for offense, their offensive coordinator, will leave his role after the fall series, making him the second member of management team to leave after another coach walked away last year after just five Tests.
Expectations vs Reality
It was not just previous achievements, but his approach, that was expected to transfer from Crusaders when he assumed control after the 2023 World Cup but, as yet, each continue to be a ongoing development.
Business Factors
Following private equity firm Silver Lake acquired shares in All Blacks in recent years, the subsequent announcement discussed the "quest of worldwide growth" for the team.
That objective has perhaps been more challenging by the absence of a crossover star. The current captain and the group of family members are still well-known figures in the game, but the concentration of key individuals has expanded significantly. The captain is the only New Zealand player to earn World Player of the Year in the past six seasons, in contrast to ten awards in over a decade between the mid-2000s.
International Growth
Rather, initiatives have been made to introduce the New Zealand team into new territories.
The first leg of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team obtained a historic win in the match nine years ago.
Following the reduction of pandemic limitations, the All Blacks have furthermore