Will the All Blacks find their winning form in the upcoming matches?
Seeking what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have headed north at an interesting juncture.
Matches against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the All Blacks across the coming month but, in addition to the possibility to match the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a benchmark to measure the progress of the side under a head coach now 24 months into from assuming control.
Present Difficulties
Concerns over a absence of an distinctive approach, enduring debates over player choices and leavings from the coaching ticket have all added to the feeling that the most recognisable team in the game is currently one in a period of transition.
Most pertinently, it is the drop in performances from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to speculate that we have moved out of the age of Kiwi superiority.
Team Record
Prior to their departure for the northern hemisphere, it was revealed that in the coming year, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will face the Springboks in a summer series called 'a unique competition'.
In the past the game's two strongest sides, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what marketers have called 'The Premier Rivalry'.
Over the past seven years, the Springboks have claimed a couple of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the home nations team to be viewed as the side of their era.
New Zealand have continued to defeat the Irish team when it is crucial, defeating Saturday's opponents in the global competition of the past two tournaments. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just a couple of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have overcome Wales in all matches since over sixty years ago and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.
Shifting Balance
But the decline of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will continue to rankle.
While the All Blacks reigned supreme through the last ten years - achieving 87% of their fixtures, as well as claiming the World Cup on two occasions - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be seen as when the balance of power moved in the world sport.
New Zealand defeated South Africa in their opening match of the tournament in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in the championship match.
From that point, the New Zealand's winning percentage has fallen to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, since the start of 2023, have won at a rate (83%) to match even the former Kiwi champions.
Recent Encounters
Throughout the same period, the South African team have secured victory in five of the past fixtures between the opponents, including success in the recent championship match.
During their pursuit of their latest regional title, the Springboks inflicted a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team thanks to dominant performance in the capital, a result which has sparked another wave of discussion regarding the progress of the team under Robertson.
Possibly most troubling for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their usual power, South Africa's achievement has come with an creative approach more typically linked with their opposition team.
Playing Philosophy
When the All Blacks were at the height of their abilities in previous eras, they were a devastating offensive machine able of shredding opponents from every section of the field and at all times of the contest.
Today, their playing philosophy is less defined as Robertson, who has given numerous first caps during his 24 months in control, tries to initially build the fundamental core elements of a successful side.
It has recently revealed that the backroom staff member in charge of scoring, the current coach, will exit the team after the fall series, making him the second member of the coaching staff to depart after another coach walked away last year after just five Tests.
Expectations vs Reality
It was not just previous achievements, but his methodology, that was anticipated to transfer from previous club when he took over after the recent tournament but, as yet, both remain a work in progress.
Business Factors
When financial organization Silver Lake acquired shares in All Blacks in 2022, the ensuing statement spoke of the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the organization.
That objective has maybe been harder by the shortage of a crossover star. The current captain and the trio of family members remain recognizable personalities in the sport, but the concentration of talented players has never been spread wider. Their leader is the only All Black to win global recognition in the current era, in opposition to 10 in 13 years between previous generations.
Worldwide Reach
Instead, initiatives have been implemented to introduce the All Blacks into emerging regions.
The opening phase of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a revisit to the Soldier Field venue where Ireland achieved a historic win in the contest during past tours.
Since the easing of health protocols, the New Zealand team have furthermore
