Can the All Blacks rediscover their winning form during the fall tour?

Aiming for what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their storied history, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an crucial period.

Games against the Irish team, Scotland, the English squad and the Welsh team await the All Blacks across the next four weekends but, in addition to the possibility to join the squads of previous successful tours in the record books, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to measure the improvement of the side under a manager now 24 months into from assuming control.

Team Issues

Doubts over a absence of an distinctive approach, ongoing discussions over player choices and exits from the management team have all contributed to the perception that the best-known side in the game is currently one in a period of transition.

Most importantly, it is the dip in outcomes from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has caused some to theorize that we have moved out of the age of New Zealand dominance.

Past Performance

Before their departure for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that in the coming year, in the absence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face South Africa in a summer series called 'a unique competition'.

Traditionally the sport's top competitors, there is no question over who has lately dominated of what marketers have labeled 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the South African team have secured a pair of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a series against the home nations team to be viewed as the side of their generation.

New Zealand have persisted to overcome Ireland when it is crucial, overcoming Saturday's opponents in the global competition of recent years. They have, meanwhile, lost just a pair of the past 21 meetings with England, have overcome Wales in all matches since 1963 and have remained unbeaten by Scotland.

Shifting Balance

But the decline of their status as the game's gold standard will remain frustrating.

While the New Zealand team excelled through the previous decade - securing 87% of their Test matches, as well as lifting the global trophy on multiple times - the World Cup of the previous competition can now be viewed as when the hierarchical structure changed in the world sport.

The All Blacks 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' success rate has declined to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in 10 of their following games but, from the beginning of 2023, have won at a frequency (83%) to rival even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

During the comparable duration, the 'Boks have won five of the past fixtures between the sides, comprising triumph in the 2023 World Cup final.

In claiming their most recent southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks inflicted a significant beating on the All Blacks through overwhelming display in the capital, a outcome which has triggered another series of controversy regarding the progress of the team under the coach.

Perhaps most jarring for fans of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their traditional strength, South Africa's achievement has come with an attacking verve more usually associated with their opposition team.

Style Evolution

At the time that the New Zealand team were at the height of their powers in previous eras, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit capable of dismantling opponents from any part of the playing surface and at any point of the match.

Currently, their attacking style is unclear as Robertson, who has awarded numerous first caps during his 24 months in control, tries to initially build the more prosaic core elements of a successful side.

It has recently revealed that the supporting manager overseeing attack, Jason Holland, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, making him the second member of Robertson's ticket to exit after Leon MacDonald departed last year after just five Tests.

Performance Gap

It was not merely previous achievements, but his methodology, that was predicted to translate from Crusaders when he took over after the recent tournament but, as yet, the two aspects remain a work in progress.

Commercial Considerations

When private equity firm investors invested capital in All Blacks in the past, the ensuing statement mentioned the "quest of new global opportunities" for the brand.

That task has maybe been harder by the absence of a international celebrity. The current captain and the trio of family members remain household names in the sport, but the concentration of talented players has become more diverse. Their leader is the sole All Black to receive global recognition in the recent years, in comparison to ten awards in 13 years between 2005 and '07.

Worldwide Reach

Instead, efforts have been undertaken to introduce the All Blacks into new territories.

The initial stage of this northern hemisphere series brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but the American city, a revisit to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team achieved a historic win in the fixture in previous seasons.

Since the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have furthermore