Can the New Zealand rugby team regain their winning form this autumn?
Seeking what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their storied history, the New Zealand side have embarked on their tour at an interesting juncture.
Matches against Ireland, the Scottish side, the English squad and the Welsh team await Scott Robertson's side across the upcoming weeks but, quite aside from the possibility to join the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the record books, the fixtures will be used as a benchmark to assess the improvement of the squad under a head coach now 24 months into from assuming control.
Present Difficulties
Concerns over a lack of an distinctive approach, continuing controversies over team picks and leavings from the management team have all fueled the feeling that the best-known side in the sport is now one in a time of change.
Most importantly, it is the dip in outcomes from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to theorize that we have evolved beyond of the period of Kiwi superiority.
Team Record
Prior to their journey for the northern hemisphere, it was confirmed that during the following season, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face South Africa in a summer series termed 'an unprecedented series'.
In the past the game's two strongest sides, there is no question over who has currently outperformed of what promoters have described 'The Ultimate Contest'.
During the last decade, the Springboks have won a pair of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the northern hemisphere selection to be considered as the side of their period.
New Zealand have continued to beat Ireland when it matters most, overcoming their next challengers in the tournament knockout stages of recent years. They have, additionally, been defeated in just a couple of the last fixtures with the English team, have beaten the Welsh side in all matches since 1963 and have never suffered defeat by the Scottish team.
Evolving Landscape
But the decline of their status as the game's gold standard will remain frustrating.
While the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the 2010s - achieving eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as winning the global trophy on multiple times - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be seen as when the hierarchical structure moved in the world sport.
The All Blacks overcame the Springboks in their first game of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in Yokohama.
From that point, the All Blacks' victory ratio has fallen to 71%. The Springboks themselves were defeated in 10 of their following games but, since the start of 2023, have won at a rate (eighty-three percent) to match even the former Kiwi champions.
Direct Competition
Throughout the comparable duration, the 'Boks have secured victory in five of the past fixtures between the teams, including victory in the latest global tournament decider.
While securing their current southern hemisphere crown, South Africa delivered a historic loss on the All Blacks thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in the capital, a score which has sparked another wave of controversy regarding the development of the squad under Robertson.
Perhaps most concerning for followers of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their traditional strength, South Africa's success has come with an creative approach more commonly connected with their own side.
Team Identity
During the period when the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their capabilities 10 years ago, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit equipped of destroying rivals from all areas of the playing surface and at all times of the match.
Today, their offensive approach is less defined as the coach, who has given numerous first caps during his 24 months in command, tries to first establish the basic core elements of a winning team.
It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member in charge of offense, their offensive coordinator, will leave his role after the upcoming matches, making him the next individual of Robertson's ticket to depart after previous staff member walked away last year after just five Tests.
Team Development
It was not just previous achievements, but his methodology, that was predicted to transfer from previous club when he began his tenure after the recent tournament but, to date, each continue to be a work in progress.
Commercial Considerations
Following private equity firm the company acquired shares in New Zealand rugby in 2022, the following communication spoke of the "quest of worldwide growth" for the team.
That task has possibly been more difficult by the lack of a crossover star. Ardie Savea and the collection of related players are still well-known figures in the sport, but the spread of key individuals has expanded significantly. The captain is the sole New Zealand player to win global recognition in the recent years, in comparison to ten awards in multiple seasons between previous generations.
Global Expansion
Instead, attempts have been made to establish the All Blacks into new territories.
The first leg of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but Chicago, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where Ireland obtained a historic win in the contest nine years ago.
Following the easing of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have also
