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Seeking what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their storied history, the New Zealand side have headed north at an crucial period.

Games against the Irish team, the Scottish side, the English squad and Wales await the All Blacks across the coming month but, beyond the possibility to match the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the matches will be used as a measure to evaluate the development of the squad under a head coach now 24 months into from assuming control.

Present Difficulties

Questions over a absence of an distinctive approach, continuing controversies over team picks and departures from the backroom staff have all fueled the feeling that the most recognisable team in the rugby is currently one in a time of change.

Most pertinently, it is the decline in results from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has led some to suggest that we have evolved beyond of the period of New Zealand dominance.

Recent History

Prior to their journey for the fall series, it was revealed that in the coming year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a warm-weather tour dubbed 'a unique competition'.

In the past the rugby's premier teams, there is clear agreement over who has lately dominated of what organizers have called 'The Ultimate Contest'.

During the last decade, the Springboks have won a two of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a competition against the northern hemisphere selection to be regarded as the squad of their era.

The All Blacks have maintained to overcome the Irish team when it matters most, overcoming this weekend's rivals in the global competition of the past two tournaments. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just a couple of the recent encounters with the English team, have beaten the Welsh side in each game since the sixties and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Evolving Landscape

But the decline of their status as the game's gold standard will remain frustrating.

Whereas the All Blacks reigned supreme through the previous decade - securing 87% of their Test matches, as well as lifting the Webb Ellis on several instances - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be viewed as when the balance of power shifted in the global game.

The All Blacks beat South Africa in their initial fixture of the competition in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the final.

From that point, the All Blacks' success rate has declined to 71%. South Africa themselves lost 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of 2023, have won at a rate (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the former Kiwi champions.

Head-to-Head

During the equivalent timeframe, the South African team have won five of the seven meetings between the teams, featuring success in the 2023 World Cup final.

While securing their latest continental championship, South Africa delivered a significant beating on the All Blacks through dominant performance in Wellington, a result which has sparked another round of discussion concerning the progress of the side under the coach.

Perhaps most jarring for followers of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their usual power, the Springboks' triumph has come with an offensive flair more commonly connected with their traditional rivals.

Style Evolution

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their capabilities 10 years ago, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit capable of shredding opponents from any part of the pitch and at all times of the game.

Currently, their offensive approach is more ambiguous as Robertson, who has handed out 19 debuts during his two years in command, tries to initially build the more prosaic foundations of a winning team.

It has already been confirmed that the assistant coach overseeing attack, Jason Holland, will exit the team after the fall series, making him the second member of management team to exit after previous staff member left last year after just limited matches.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not just his winning record, but his style, that was anticipated to carry over from Crusaders when he assumed control after the 2023 World Cup but, so far, both continue to be a ongoing development.

Commercial Considerations

When private equity firm Silver Lake bought a stake in All Blacks in 2022, the subsequent announcement spoke of the "search of new global opportunities" for the team.

That goal has perhaps been more difficult by the lack of a international celebrity. Their key player and the group of Barrett brothers remain well-known figures in the game, but the spread of key individuals has expanded significantly. Their leader is the only All Black to earn international honors in the recent years, in contrast to 10 in over a decade between the mid-2000s.

Global Expansion

Rather, attempts have been undertaken to introduce the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.

The initial stage of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a return to the location where Ireland secured a historic win in the fixture during past tours.

Following the relaxation of health protocols, the All Blacks have furthermore