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Seeking what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an crucial period.

Fixtures against Ireland, the Scottish side, the English squad and Wales await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, in addition to the possibility to match the sides of previous successful tours in the history books, the matches will be used as a benchmark to assess the development of the side under a head coach now 24 months into from assuming control.

Team Issues

Questions over a lack of an identifiable style, enduring debates over selection and leavings from the coaching ticket have all fueled the feeling that the best-known side in the rugby is presently one in a time of change.

Most significantly, it is the decline in performances from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has prompted some to theorize that we have transitioned away of the period of All Black exceptionalism.

Team Record

Prior to their departure for the European tour, it was announced that during the following season, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will face South Africa in a off-season matches termed 'a tour like no other'.

Traditionally the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has lately dominated of what promoters have described 'The Ultimate Contest'.

Over the past seven years, the Springboks have claimed a two of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the home nations team to be considered as the team of their era.

The All Blacks have maintained to overcome the Irish team when it is crucial, beating Saturday's opponents in the global competition of the past two tournaments. They have, additionally, lost just a pair of the last fixtures with the English team, have defeated Wales in every encounter since the sixties and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.

Evolving Landscape

But the decline of their position as the sport's measure of excellence will persist as an irritation.

While the All Blacks reigned supreme through the last ten years - achieving eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as lifting the global trophy on several instances - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be seen as when the hierarchical structure changed in the international rugby.

The All Blacks beat South Africa in their opening match of the competition in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in the championship match.

From that point, the New Zealand's winning percentage has dropped to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of last year, have won at a rate (eighty-three percent) to match even the last great New Zealand team.

Head-to-Head

During the comparable duration, the Springboks have secured victory in five of the seven meetings between the sides, comprising success in the recent championship match.

While securing their current southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks delivered a historic loss on the All Blacks thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a outcome which has triggered another wave of debate concerning the progress of the side under Robertson.

Possibly most troubling for fans of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their traditional strength, South Africa's triumph has come with an creative approach more typically linked with their own side.

Playing Philosophy

At the time that the All Blacks were at the zenith of their powers 10 years ago, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit capable of shredding opponents from any part of the field and at any moment of the contest.

Today, their attacking style is more ambiguous as the coach, who has given multiple new players during his recent tenure in control, tries to first establish the basic core elements of a competitive squad.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member responsible for attack, Jason Holland, will exit the team after the fall series, becoming the next individual of the coaching staff to exit after another coach departed last year after just limited matches.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not only previous achievements, but his approach, that was expected to transfer from previous club when he assumed control after the 2023 World Cup but, to date, the two aspects remain a ongoing development.

Business Factors

When financial organization Silver Lake acquired shares in All Blacks in the past, the subsequent announcement discussed the "quest of new global opportunities" for the organization.

That objective has maybe been more difficult by the lack of a international celebrity. Ardie Savea and the trio of Barrett brothers continue to be well-known figures in the sport, but the concentration of talented players has never been spread wider. The captain is the only All Black to receive global recognition in the current era, in comparison to 10 in 13 years between the mid-2000s.

Worldwide Reach

Instead, efforts have been made to introduce the All Blacks into emerging regions.

The first leg of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but the American city, a revisit to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team secured a landmark success in the contest nine years ago.

Following the relaxation of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have additionally