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Seeking what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have headed north at an pivotal moment.

Matches against Ireland, the Scottish side, England and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, in addition to the opportunity to match the squads of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the matches will be used as a yardstick to assess the development of the team under a head coach now well established from beginning his tenure.

Team Issues

Questions over a absence of an identifiable style, enduring debates over selection and exits from the management team have all added to the sense that the best-known side in the game is presently one in a period of transition.

Most importantly, it is the decline in performances from a historic high watermark set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has led some to suggest that we have transitioned away of the period of New Zealand dominance.

Past Performance

Prior to their departure for the fall series, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will meet South Africa in a summer series dubbed 'a tour like no other'.

Traditionally the sport's top competitors, there is no question over who has currently outperformed of what organizers have labeled 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the Springboks have secured a pair of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the home nations team to be viewed as the team of their period.

The All Blacks have maintained to overcome Ireland when it counts most, beating Saturday's opponents in the World Cup quarter finals of the past two tournaments. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just a pair of the past 21 meetings with England, have defeated the Welsh side in all matches since the sixties and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.

Changing Dynamics

But the decline of their standing as the rugby's benchmark will continue to rankle.

While the New Zealand team excelled through the previous decade - winning eighty-seven percent of their international games, as well as lifting the global trophy on several instances - the global tournament of 2019 can now be viewed as when the hierarchical structure changed in the international rugby.

New Zealand beat the Springboks in their initial fixture of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in the final.

Since then, the All Blacks' success rate has fallen to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their following games but, from the beginning of last year, have achieved victory at a rate (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the previous All Blacks side.

Head-to-Head

During the same period, the 'Boks have secured victory in the majority of the seven meetings between the sides, comprising victory in the latest global tournament decider.

In claiming their latest regional title, Rassie Erasmus' side inflicted a historic loss on the All Blacks courtesy of 36 unanswered second-half points in the capital, a result which has sparked another round of discussion regarding the progress of the team under their leader.

Possibly most troubling for fans of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their characteristic physicality, the Springboks' triumph has come with an offensive flair more usually associated with their traditional rivals.

Team Identity

When the New Zealand team were at the peak of their powers 10 years ago, they were a clinical transition team equipped of shredding rivals from all areas of the field and at any point of the contest.

Currently, their offensive approach is less defined as Robertson, who has awarded multiple new players during his recent tenure in control, tries to first establish the basic core elements of a successful side.

It has recently revealed that the assistant coach overseeing attack, Jason Holland, will leave his role after the fall series, making him the additional person of Robertson's ticket to leave after Leon MacDonald left last year after just a handful of games.

Team Development

It was not only his winning record, but his approach, that was expected to translate from previous club when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, as yet, both remain a continuous improvement.

Organizational Strategy

Following private equity firm the company acquired shares in All Blacks in the past, the ensuing statement spoke of the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the organization.

That task has perhaps been more difficult by the lack of a international celebrity. The current captain and the trio of family members continue to be household names in the sport, but the concentration of talented players has become more diverse. The captain is the only All Black to receive World Player of the Year in the current era, in contrast to 10 in 13 years between the mid-2000s.

Worldwide Reach

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

The opening phase of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a comeback to the location where Ireland secured a historic win in the fixture nine years ago.

Since the reduction of health protocols, the New Zealand team have also