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Aiming for what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their illustrious legacy, the New Zealand side have headed north at an pivotal moment.

Matches against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and the Welsh team await the All Blacks across the next four weekends but, beyond the opportunity to equal the squads of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a measure to measure the improvement of the squad under a head coach now two years on from assuming control.

Team Issues

Doubts over a shortage of an identifiable style, continuing controversies over player choices and leavings from the coaching ticket have all added to the perception that the most recognisable team in the sport is presently one in a period of transition.

Most significantly, it is the drop in results from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of the last decade that has prompted some to speculate that we have moved out of the age of New Zealand dominance.

Recent History

Prior to their travel for the European tour, it was announced that in the coming year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will face the Springboks in a off-season matches dubbed 'an unprecedented series'.

Traditionally the rugby's premier teams, there is clear agreement over who has lately dominated of what organizers have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the Springboks have won a two of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be regarded as the team of their period.

New Zealand have continued to overcome Ireland when it counts most, defeating this weekend's rivals in the tournament knockout stages of recent years. They have, at the same time, been defeated in just a couple of the last fixtures with England, have overcome the Welsh side in each game since over sixty years ago and have never suffered defeat by the Scottish team.

Evolving Landscape

But the loss of their position as the sport's measure of excellence will continue to rankle.

Although the New Zealand team excelled through the previous decade - achieving 87% of their international games, as well as winning the World Cup on multiple times - the World Cup of 2019 can now be seen as when the balance of power changed in the international rugby.

The All Blacks beat the Springboks in their first game of the tournament in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were eventually successful in Yokohama.

From that point, the All Blacks' winning percentage has declined to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their subsequent fixtures but, from the beginning of 2023, have won at a frequency (83%) to rival even the previous All Blacks side.

Head-to-Head

During the same period, the 'Boks have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the opponents, comprising triumph in the latest global tournament decider.

In claiming their latest continental championship, South Africa inflicted a significant beating on the All Blacks thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a result which has triggered another wave of controversy concerning the direction of the side under their leader.

Perhaps most troubling for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their traditional strength, the Springboks' success has come with an offensive flair more usually associated with their own side.

Playing Philosophy

When the All Blacks were at the peak of their abilities in previous eras, they were a devastating offensive machine able of dismantling opponents from any part of the playing surface and at any moment of the match.

Currently, their attacking style is less defined as the coach, who has awarded multiple new players during his recent tenure in charge, tries to initially build the more prosaic building blocks of a successful side.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member overseeing scoring, the current coach, will depart his position after the upcoming matches, becoming the second member of management team to depart after Leon MacDonald left last year after just five Tests.

Team Development

It was not only previous achievements, but his style, that was expected to carry over from Crusaders when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, so far, each continue to be a continuous improvement.

Organizational Strategy

Following private equity firm the company invested capital in All Blacks in the past, the following communication spoke of the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the team.

That task has maybe been harder by the lack of a crossover star. Their key player and the trio of Barrett brothers are still well-known figures in the game, but the spread of talented players has become more diverse. Savea is the only New Zealand player to win international honors in the current era, in opposition to 10 in 13 years between 2005 and '07.

International Growth

Instead, initiatives have been made to transplant the All Blacks into new territories.

The first leg of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a revisit to the location where Ireland secured a historic win in the contest nine years ago.

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