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

Fixtures against the Irish team, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the All Blacks across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the opportunity to match the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the record books, the games will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the improvement of the side under a leader now well established from assuming control.

Current Challenges

Questions over a lack of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over player choices and exits from the coaching ticket have all added to the feeling that the most famous squad in the rugby is presently one in a state of flux.

Most significantly, it is the dip in outcomes from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has led some to theorize that we have moved out of the era of New Zealand dominance.

Team Record

Prior to their journey for the fall series, it was confirmed that next year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face South Africa in a off-season matches dubbed 'a unique competition'.

Traditionally the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has lately dominated of what organizers have described 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the Springboks have won a couple of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a competition against the home nations team to be considered as the side of their period.

The All Blacks have maintained to beat Ireland when it is crucial, defeating this weekend's rivals in the tournament knockout stages of 2019 and '23. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just two of the last fixtures with England, have overcome Wales in all matches since the sixties and have always been victorious by the Scottish team.

Evolving Landscape

But the diminishment of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will remain frustrating.

While the New Zealand team dominated through the last ten years - winning 87% of their fixtures, as well as winning the World Cup on two occasions - the World Cup of 2019 can now be viewed as when the hierarchical structure shifted in the world sport.

New Zealand overcame the Springboks in their first game of the competition in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were ultimately triumphant in the championship match.

After that event, the All Blacks' success rate has dropped to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, commencing of last year, have achieved victory at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to match even the last great New Zealand team.

Head-to-Head

Over the same period, the 'Boks have won the majority of the past fixtures between the sides, including success in the latest global tournament decider.

In claiming their latest regional title, South Africa administered a significant beating on the New Zealand team thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a score which has triggered another wave of debate regarding the development of the team under Robertson.

Perhaps most jarring for followers of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their usual power, the Springboks' achievement has come with an creative approach more commonly connected with their own side.

Team Identity

During the period when the All Blacks were at the height of their abilities in previous eras, they were a clinical transition team equipped of dismantling competitors from all areas of the pitch and at all times of the game.

Currently, their attacking style is less defined as their leader, who has given numerous first caps during his 24 months in control, tries to primarily create the basic core elements of a competitive squad.

It has previously announced that the supporting manager responsible for offense, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, making him the second member of the coaching staff to exit after previous staff member left last year after just limited matches.

Team Development

It was not merely previous achievements, but his approach, that was anticipated to translate from Crusaders when he took over after the global competition but, as yet, the two aspects remain a ongoing development.

Business Factors

When investment group Silver Lake bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in recent years, the subsequent announcement spoke of the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the team.

That goal has perhaps been more difficult by the shortage of a crossover star. The current captain and the trio of Barrett brothers continue to be well-known figures in the game, but the concentration of key individuals has never been spread wider. Their leader is the single All Black to receive global recognition in the current era, in contrast to 10 in multiple seasons between the mid-2000s.

Global Expansion

Alternatively, initiatives have been undertaken to transplant the All Blacks into new territories.

The first leg of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a return to the stadium where the Irish team secured a historic win in the match in previous seasons.

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