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Seeking what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their legendary past, the All Blacks have traveled to Europe at an crucial period.

Fixtures against Ireland, the Scottish side, England and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, quite aside from the opportunity to match the sides of previous successful tours in the history books, the games will be used as a yardstick to assess the improvement of the side under a leader now 24 months into from assuming control.

Team Issues

Doubts over a lack of an identifiable style, ongoing discussions over selection and departures from the backroom staff have all fueled the sense that the best-known side in the game is presently one in a state of flux.

Most significantly, it is the dip in outcomes from a previous peak set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has led some to speculate that we have moved out of the age of Kiwi superiority.

Past Performance

Before their departure for the European tour, it was announced that in the coming year, in the lack of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will face the Springboks in a summer series called 'an unprecedented series'.

Traditionally the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has currently outperformed of what organizers have called 'The Premier Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the Springboks have claimed a couple of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the home nations team to be considered as the team of their period.

The All Blacks have continued to beat the Irish team when it is crucial, beating Saturday's opponents in the global competition of 2019 and '23. They have, at the same time, been defeated in just a couple of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have beaten Wales in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Shifting Balance

But the loss of their status as the rugby's benchmark will remain frustrating.

Although the New Zealand team excelled through the previous decade - securing eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as claiming the Webb Ellis on multiple times - the global tournament of 2019 can now be regarded as when the competitive landscape shifted in the global game.

The All Blacks defeated the Springboks in their opening match of the competition in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in Yokohama.

Since then, the New Zealand's success rate has declined to 71%. South Africa themselves lost ten of their subsequent fixtures but, since the start of 2023, have achieved victory at a rate (83%) to match even the last great New Zealand team.

Recent Encounters

Throughout the comparable duration, the Springboks have won five of the past fixtures between the opponents, including victory in the latest global tournament decider.

While securing their current southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks administered a significant beating on the New Zealand team through 36 unanswered second-half points in the capital, a result which has triggered another wave of debate regarding the direction of the team under the coach.

Possibly most jarring for followers of the All Blacks will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, South Africa's achievement has come with an attacking verve more typically linked with their own side.

Playing Philosophy

When the All Blacks were at the peak of their powers in previous eras, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit capable of dismantling competitors 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 handed out multiple new players during his two years in command, tries to initially build the more prosaic building blocks of a winning team.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member in charge of offense, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the fall series, becoming the second member of management team to leave after previous staff member walked away last year after just five Tests.

Team Development

It was not only Robertson's success, but his style, that was anticipated to carry over from previous club when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, so far, both remain a work in progress.

Organizational Strategy

When financial organization investors acquired shares in All Blacks in the past, the following communication mentioned the "pursuit of worldwide growth" for the organization.

That task has maybe been more difficult by the lack of a crossover star. Ardie Savea and the group of family members remain recognizable personalities in the sport, but the concentration of stars has expanded significantly. The captain is the sole All Black to receive international honors in the past six seasons, in contrast to 10 in multiple seasons between the mid-2000s.

International Growth

Rather, attempts have been made to introduce the All Blacks into emerging regions.

The initial stage of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a return to the location where Ireland obtained a historic win in the match in previous seasons.

Following the reduction of health protocols, the New Zealand team have furthermore