🔗 Share this article

Aiming for what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have headed north at an crucial period.

Matches against Ireland, Scotland, England and the Welsh team await Scott Robertson's side across the coming month but, beyond the opportunity to match the sides of previous successful tours in the record books, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the improvement of the side under a leader now two years on from assuming control.

Current Challenges

Concerns over a shortage of an identifiable style, continuing controversies over selection and departures from the backroom staff have all contributed to the sense that the most recognisable team in the rugby is currently one in a state of flux.

Most importantly, it is the decline in performances from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has caused some to theorize that we have moved out of the era of New Zealand dominance.

Recent History

Prior to their travel for the fall series, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will face South Africa in a warm-weather tour called 'an unprecedented series'.

Historically the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has recently got the better of what promoters have labeled 'The Ultimate Contest'.

In recent seasons, the Springboks have claimed a pair of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a competition against the northern hemisphere selection to be regarded as the side of their period.

New Zealand have continued to overcome the Irish team when it is crucial, overcoming their next challengers in the tournament knockout stages of recent years. They have, at the same time, been defeated in just a pair of the recent encounters with the English team, have overcome Wales in each game since over sixty years ago and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Changing Dynamics

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

Whereas the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the 2010s - securing 87% of their international games, as well as lifting the World Cup on multiple times - the World Cup of 2019 can now be regarded as when the hierarchical structure shifted in the global game.

New Zealand defeated the Springboks in their opening match of the competition in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in Yokohama.

From that point, the New Zealand's success rate has dropped to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost ten of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of last year, have achieved victory at a rate (83%) to compete with even the previous All Blacks side.

Recent Encounters

Throughout the comparable duration, the Springboks have won five of the seven meetings between the opponents, comprising victory in the 2023 World Cup final.

While securing their latest southern hemisphere crown, South Africa delivered a historic loss on the New Zealand team through dominant performance in the capital, a result which has sparked another round of discussion concerning the direction of the side under their leader.

Perhaps most concerning for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their usual power, the Springboks' achievement has come with an offensive flair more usually associated with their own side.

Team Identity

During the period when the All Blacks were at the zenith of their capabilities 10 years ago, they were a clinical transition team equipped of destroying opponents from every section of the field and at any moment of the game.

Currently, their playing philosophy is less defined as the coach, who has given numerous first caps during his 24 months in command, tries to primarily create the basic building blocks of a winning team.

It has recently revealed that the supporting manager responsible for scoring, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the fall series, becoming the second member of Robertson's ticket to depart after another coach walked away last year after just a handful of games.

Performance Gap

It was not merely Robertson's success, but his style, that was anticipated to carry over from Crusaders when he took over after the recent tournament but, so far, each remain a work in progress.

Business Factors

When financial organization the company acquired shares in New Zealand rugby in 2022, the ensuing statement mentioned the "search of worldwide growth" for the organization.

That goal has possibly been more difficult by the lack of a crossover star. Ardie Savea and the trio of related players continue to be recognizable personalities in the rugby, but the distribution of stars has never been spread wider. Savea is the only All Black to earn World Player of the Year in the current era, in comparison to 10 in over a decade between previous generations.

Worldwide Reach

Instead, efforts have been made to establish the New Zealand team into previously untapped markets.

The opening phase of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a revisit to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team achieved a first ever victory in the fixture in previous seasons.

Following the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have furthermore