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Pursuing what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the All Blacks have headed north at an pivotal moment.

Fixtures against Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales await the All Blacks across the next four weekends but, quite aside from the chance to equal the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the matches will be used as a yardstick to measure the development of the side under a leader now two years on from assuming control.

Present Difficulties

Doubts over a shortage of an identifiable style, enduring debates over player choices and exits from the backroom staff have all added to the feeling that the best-known side in the sport is presently one in a state of flux.

Most importantly, it is the drop in performances from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to speculate that we have moved out of the period of Kiwi superiority.

Team Record

Ahead of their travel for the European tour, it was revealed that next year, in the absence of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will play the Springboks in a off-season matches called 'a unique competition'.

Traditionally the rugby's premier teams, there is little doubt over who has recently got the better of what marketers have labeled 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

Over the past seven years, the South African team have secured a couple of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a competition against the home nations team to be considered as the squad of their period.

The All Blacks have persisted to overcome the Irish team when it matters most, beating Saturday's opponents in the tournament knockout stages of recent years. They have, at the same time, lost just a couple of the recent encounters with England, have beaten the Welsh side in every encounter since the sixties and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Shifting Balance

But the decline of their standing as the rugby's benchmark will remain frustrating.

While the New Zealand team excelled through the previous decade - winning 87% of their international games, as well as winning the Webb Ellis on two occasions - the World Cup of the previous competition can now be seen as when the balance of power moved in the global game.

New Zealand overcame South Africa in their opening match of the championship in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in the championship match.

From that point, the New Zealand's victory ratio has declined to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, since the start of 2023, have achieved victory at a rate (83%) to match even the former Kiwi champions.

Head-to-Head

During the equivalent timeframe, the 'Boks have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the opponents, comprising victory in the recent championship match.

In claiming their latest continental championship, the Springboks inflicted a historic loss on the New Zealand team courtesy of overwhelming display in Wellington, a score which has ignited another series of controversy concerning the development of the team under Robertson.

Perhaps most jarring for followers of the All Blacks will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, South Africa's achievement has come with an creative approach more typically linked with their own side.

Playing Philosophy

When the All Blacks were at the zenith of their capabilities a decade past, they were a clinical transition team equipped of dismantling opponents from all areas of the playing surface and at any moment of the game.

Currently, their attacking style is less defined as their leader, who has handed out multiple new players during his 24 months in control, tries to primarily create the basic core elements of a competitive squad.

It has recently revealed that the assistant coach responsible for offense, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the fall series, making him the second member of Robertson's ticket to depart after another coach departed last year after just five Tests.

Team Development

It was not merely previous achievements, but his style, that was expected to transfer from previous club when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, so far, both continue to be a continuous improvement.

Organizational Strategy

Following financial organization investors invested capital in All Blacks in recent years, the subsequent announcement discussed the "pursuit of international expansion" for the organization.

That objective has maybe been harder by the lack of a crossover star. Ardie Savea and the collection of Barrett brothers continue to be well-known figures in the game, but the distribution of key individuals has expanded significantly. Savea is the single All Black to win global recognition in the past six seasons, in opposition to 10 in over a decade between 2005 and '07.

International Growth

Alternatively, initiatives have been implemented to introduce the All Blacks into new territories.

The first leg of this northern hemisphere series brings New Zealand not to Dublin but the American city, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team obtained a first ever victory in the contest nine years ago.

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