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Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have embarked on their tour at an pivotal moment.

Games against the Irish team, the Scottish side, England and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the next four weekends but, in addition to the chance to join the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the record books, the matches will be used as a measure to evaluate the improvement of the team under a leader now well established from beginning his tenure.

Present Difficulties

Questions over a absence of an clear playing identity, continuing controversies over selection and exits from the coaching ticket have all contributed to the feeling that the most recognisable team in the game is now one in a period of transition.

Most pertinently, it is the drop in performances from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of the last decade that has prompted some to suggest that we have transitioned away of the age of All Black exceptionalism.

Team Record

Before their departure for the fall series, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the absence of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will play the Springboks in a off-season matches termed 'a unique competition'.

In the past the rugby's premier teams, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what marketers have described 'The Ultimate Contest'.

Over the past seven years, the South African team have claimed a pair of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a competition against the northern hemisphere selection to be considered as the team of their generation.

The All Blacks have continued to defeat Ireland when it is crucial, defeating this weekend's rivals in the World Cup quarter finals of recent years. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just a couple of the recent encounters with the English team, have defeated the Welsh side in each game since 1963 and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.

Shifting Balance

But the diminishment of their position as the game's gold standard will persist as an irritation.

Whereas the All Blacks excelled through the last ten years - securing eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as winning the World Cup on two occasions - the World Cup of the previous competition can now be regarded as when the balance of power shifted in the world sport.

The All Blacks defeated the Springboks in their opening match of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in the final.

After that event, the New Zealand's success rate has fallen to 71%. South Africa themselves lost 10 of their following games but, from the beginning of 2023, have won at a frequency (83%) to match even the previous All Blacks side.

Recent Encounters

Throughout the equivalent timeframe, the Springboks have won the majority of the seven meetings between the teams, including success in the recent championship match.

While securing their current southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks administered a significant beating on the New Zealand team courtesy of 36 unanswered second-half points in the capital, a outcome which has sparked another wave of discussion about the direction of the team under Robertson.

Maybe most jarring for followers of the All Blacks will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, South Africa's success has come with an offensive flair more usually associated with their traditional rivals.

Team Identity

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their capabilities a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit equipped of dismantling opponents from all areas of the field and at any moment of the game.

Currently, their playing philosophy is unclear as the coach, who has given numerous first caps during his 24 months in control, tries to primarily create the more prosaic core elements of a winning team.

It has recently revealed that the assistant coach responsible for attack, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, becoming the additional person of management team to exit after previous staff member departed last year after just limited matches.

Team Development

It was not merely Robertson's success, but his methodology, that was predicted to transfer from previous club when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, as yet, the two aspects continue to be a work in progress.

Business Factors

After financial organization Silver Lake bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in recent years, the subsequent announcement discussed the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the brand.

That goal has maybe been harder by the absence of a crossover star. Their key player and the trio of Barrett brothers continue to be recognizable personalities in the game, but the concentration of talented players has become more diverse. The captain is the sole New Zealand player to earn global recognition in the current era, in contrast to ten awards in 13 years between previous generations.

International Growth

Rather, efforts have been implemented to establish the All Blacks into new territories.

The initial stage of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where Ireland secured a first ever victory in the match in previous seasons.

Following the reduction of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have furthermore