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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 pivotal moment.

Fixtures against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and the Welsh team await Scott Robertson's side across the upcoming weeks but, quite aside from the possibility to match the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the development of the side under a manager now two years on from beginning his tenure.

Present Difficulties

Doubts over a absence of an distinctive approach, continuing controversies over selection and leavings from the management team have all added to the sense that the most famous squad in the game is now one in a state of flux.

Most importantly, it is the drop in results from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to suggest that we have moved out of the era of All Black exceptionalism.

Past Performance

Prior to their departure for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that during the following season, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will face South Africa in a summer series dubbed 'a unique competition'.

In the past the rugby's premier teams, there is clear agreement over who has recently got the better of what promoters have described 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

Over the past seven years, the Springboks have secured a two of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the home nations team to be viewed as the squad of their generation.

The All Blacks have persisted to overcome the Irish team when it counts most, overcoming this weekend's rivals in the World Cup quarter finals of the past two tournaments. They have, additionally, lost just two of the past 21 meetings with England, have defeated the Welsh side in every encounter since 1963 and have remained unbeaten by Scotland.

Shifting Balance

But the loss of their standing as the sport's measure of excellence will persist as an irritation.

Whereas the All Blacks reigned supreme through the last ten years - achieving eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as claiming the World Cup on multiple times - the global tournament of 2019 can now be seen as when the balance of power shifted in the global game.

New Zealand defeated the Springboks in their first game of the competition in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were eventually successful in the championship match.

After that event, the All Blacks' victory ratio has dropped to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their following games but, commencing of last year, have won at a frequency (83%) to compete with even the previous All Blacks side.

Direct Competition

Throughout the same period, the 'Boks have secured victory in five of the seven meetings between the opponents, comprising success in the 2023 World Cup final.

During their pursuit of their current regional title, the Springboks inflicted a significant beating on the New Zealand team thanks to overwhelming display in Wellington, a outcome which has sparked another wave of controversy regarding the progress of the squad under the coach.

Possibly most troubling for followers of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their characteristic physicality, South Africa's success has come with an creative approach more commonly connected with their own side.

Playing Philosophy

At the time that the All Blacks were at the peak of their abilities in previous eras, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit equipped of shredding opponents from every section of the playing surface and at any point of the contest.

Currently, their attacking style is more ambiguous as their leader, who has handed out multiple new players during his 24 months in charge, tries to initially build the more prosaic core elements of a successful side.

It has previously announced that the assistant coach in charge of offense, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, making him the additional person of the coaching staff to depart after another coach walked away last year after just limited matches.

Performance Gap

It was not only Robertson's success, but his approach, that was expected to translate from previous club when he assumed control after the global competition but, as yet, both are still a ongoing development.

Commercial Considerations

Following investment group Silver Lake invested capital in All Blacks in the past, the subsequent announcement discussed the "search of international expansion" for the team.

That task has maybe been more difficult by the shortage of a crossover star. Ardie Savea and the trio of family members remain well-known figures in the rugby, but the spread of stars has never been spread wider. Their leader is the only New Zealand player to earn global recognition in the recent years, in contrast to ten awards in over a decade between previous generations.

Worldwide Reach

Instead, attempts have been undertaken to introduce the New Zealand team into new territories.

The opening phase of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team secured a landmark success in the fixture nine years ago.

Following the relaxation of pandemic limitations, the All Blacks have also