Can the All Blacks rediscover their winning form during the fall tour?
Pursuing what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have embarked on their tour at an interesting juncture.
Games against Ireland, the Scottish side, England and Wales await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, beyond the chance to join the sides of previous successful tours in the history books, the matches will be used as a measure to assess the improvement of the side under a leader now well established from taking up the reins.
Present Difficulties
Concerns over a lack of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over selection and leavings from the coaching ticket have all fueled the perception that the most famous squad in the sport is presently one in a state of flux.
Most significantly, it is the drop in performances from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has caused some to theorize that we have transitioned away of the era of Kiwi superiority.
Recent History
Ahead of their journey for the European tour, it was announced that during the following season, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a off-season matches dubbed 'a tour like no other'.
In the past the sport's top competitors, there is clear agreement over who has currently outperformed of what marketers have described 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.
Over the past seven years, the Springboks have secured a couple of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a series against the home nations team to be regarded as the squad of their era.
The All Blacks have continued to beat the Irish team when it counts most, beating this weekend's rivals in the tournament knockout stages of the past two tournaments. They have, at the same time, lost just two of the recent encounters with the English team, have overcome Wales in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have always been victorious by Scotland.
Shifting Balance
But the decline of their standing as the sport's measure of excellence will persist as an irritation.
Whereas the All Blacks excelled through the 2010s - achieving 87% of their international games, as well as claiming the global trophy on two occasions - the World Cup of 2019 can now be viewed as when the balance of power moved in the global game.
New Zealand defeated South Africa in their first game of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the final.
From that point, the New Zealand's victory ratio has fallen to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their following games but, since the start of last year, have won at a rate (83%) to compete with even the previous All Blacks side.
Recent Encounters
Over the same period, the South African team have secured victory in five of the past fixtures between the teams, comprising success in the latest global tournament decider.
During their pursuit of their most recent southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks administered a record 43-10 defeat on the All Blacks thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a result which has sparked another series of discussion concerning the progress of the squad under the coach.
Possibly most concerning for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, the Springboks' success has come with an creative approach more commonly connected with their own side.
Style Evolution
At the time that the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their capabilities in previous eras, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit equipped of dismantling competitors from every section of the playing surface and at any moment of the game.
Today, their offensive approach is less defined as their leader, who has handed out numerous first caps during his 24 months in charge, tries to primarily create the basic core elements of a competitive squad.
It has previously announced that the assistant coach responsible for offense, Jason Holland, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, making him the second member of the coaching staff to depart after another coach left last year after just limited matches.
Team Development
It was not just his winning record, but his methodology, that was expected to transfer from Crusaders when he began his tenure after the recent tournament but, to date, the two aspects continue to be a ongoing development.
Business Factors
Following investment group Silver Lake bought a stake in All Blacks in 2022, the ensuing statement mentioned the "quest of worldwide growth" for the brand.
That task has perhaps been more difficult by the shortage of a international celebrity. Their key player and the collection of family members are still recognizable personalities in the game, but the concentration of key individuals has expanded significantly. Their leader is the single New Zealand player to win global recognition in the recent years, in opposition to 10 in over a decade between the mid-2000s.
International Growth
Alternatively, attempts have been implemented to introduce the All Blacks into new territories.
The initial stage of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings New Zealand not to Dublin but the American city, a return to the stadium where the Irish team secured a landmark success in the match in previous seasons.
Since the relaxation of health protocols, the New Zealand team have additionally
