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Seeking what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have headed north at an interesting juncture.

Matches against Ireland, the Scottish side, the English squad and the Welsh team await the All Blacks across the coming month but, beyond the chance to match the sides of previous successful tours in the history books, the matches will be used as a benchmark to measure the development of the squad under a head coach now well established from beginning his tenure.

Present Difficulties

Concerns over a lack of an distinctive approach, continuing controversies over team picks and leavings from the management team have all fueled the sense that the best-known side in the sport is presently one in a time of change.

Most importantly, it is the dip in results from a previous peak set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has led some to speculate that we have transitioned away of the age of All Black exceptionalism.

Past Performance

Prior to their departure for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that during the following season, in the absence of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will play South Africa in a summer series dubbed 'a unique competition'.

Historically the game's two strongest sides, there is no question over who has recently got the better of what promoters have called 'The Premier Rivalry'.

Over the past seven years, the South African team have secured a pair of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the northern hemisphere selection to be considered as the side of their generation.

The All Blacks have maintained to beat the Irish team when it is crucial, beating their next challengers in the tournament knockout stages of 2019 and '23. They have, meanwhile, lost just two of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have defeated Wales in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have remained unbeaten by Scotland.

Evolving Landscape

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

Although the New Zealand team excelled through the previous decade - winning 87% of their fixtures, as well as winning the Webb Ellis on two occasions - the World Cup of the previous competition can now be viewed as when the balance of power changed in the international rugby.

New Zealand beat South Africa in their initial fixture of the competition in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in the championship match.

After that event, the All Blacks' victory ratio has dropped to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves were defeated in ten of their subsequent fixtures but, since the start of 2023, have achieved victory at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

Throughout the equivalent timeframe, the South African team have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the teams, comprising triumph in the latest global tournament decider.

In claiming their current continental championship, Rassie Erasmus' side delivered a historic loss on the New Zealand team courtesy of 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a result which has ignited another wave of discussion regarding the development of the team under their leader.

Maybe most concerning for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their traditional strength, South Africa's success has come with an offensive flair more commonly connected with their traditional rivals.

Playing Philosophy

During the period when the All Blacks were at the height of their abilities 10 years ago, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of destroying competitors from every section of the playing surface and at all times of the match.

Now, their attacking style is unclear as Robertson, who has awarded 19 debuts during his recent tenure in charge, tries to initially build the fundamental foundations of a successful side.

It has previously announced that the supporting manager responsible for offense, Jason Holland, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, becoming the second member of management team to exit after Leon MacDonald walked away last year after just five Tests.

Performance Gap

It was not just Robertson's success, but his approach, that was predicted to transfer from Crusaders when he took over after the recent tournament but, so far, both remain a continuous improvement.

Business Factors

When private equity firm Silver Lake invested capital in All Blacks in recent years, the following communication spoke of the "search of international expansion" for the organization.

That goal has perhaps been more challenging by the absence of a global icon. The current captain and the trio of related players are still well-known figures in the rugby, but the concentration of key individuals has become more diverse. The captain is the single All Black to earn World Player of the Year in the current era, in opposition to 10 in 13 years between the mid-2000s.

Worldwide Reach

Alternatively, attempts have been implemented to introduce the New Zealand team into new territories.

The opening phase of this 'Grand Slam' tour 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 match during past tours.

Since the reduction of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have additionally