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 embarked on their tour at an pivotal moment.

Fixtures against Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales await the All Blacks across the next four weekends but, quite aside from the opportunity to join the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the matches will be used as a measure to measure the progress of the team under a leader now well established from taking up the reins.

Team Issues

Doubts over a lack of an clear playing identity, continuing controversies over selection and leavings from the management team have all added to the feeling that the most recognisable team in the rugby is now one in a time of change.

Most importantly, it is the dip in performances from a previous peak set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has led some to theorize that we have evolved beyond of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Recent History

Prior to their journey 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 South Africa in a warm-weather tour dubbed 'a tour like no other'.

Historically the rugby's premier teams, there is little doubt over who has recently got the better of what promoters have labeled 'The Premier Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the South African team have won a pair of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the side of their era.

The All Blacks have continued to defeat the Irish team when it counts most, overcoming this weekend's rivals in the tournament knockout stages of the past two tournaments. They have, at the same time, been defeated in just a pair of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have defeated the Welsh side in every encounter since 1963 and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Evolving Landscape

But the diminishment of their position as the game's gold standard will persist as an irritation.

Whereas the All Blacks dominated through the last ten years - securing eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as winning the World Cup on multiple times - the global tournament of 2019 can now be regarded as when the hierarchical structure changed in the international rugby.

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

From that point, the New Zealand's winning percentage has dropped to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves were defeated in ten of their subsequent fixtures but, since the start of last year, have achieved victory at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the former Kiwi champions.

Direct Competition

Over the equivalent timeframe, the South African team have won the majority of the recent encounters between the teams, featuring victory in the latest global tournament decider.

While securing their latest southern hemisphere crown, Rassie Erasmus' side administered a significant beating on the New Zealand team courtesy of dominant performance in the capital, a result which has triggered another round of discussion regarding the development of the squad under the coach.

Maybe most concerning for supporters of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their traditional strength, South Africa's triumph has come with an creative approach more usually associated with their traditional rivals.

Style Evolution

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the peak of their abilities a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of destroying opponents from any part of the playing surface and at any moment of the contest.

Currently, their playing philosophy is unclear as Robertson, who has handed out numerous first caps during his recent tenure in command, tries to initially build the basic foundations of a competitive squad.

It has already been confirmed that the assistant coach in charge of scoring, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the fall series, making him the next individual of management team to depart after another coach left last year after just limited matches.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not merely previous achievements, but his style, that was predicted to carry over from his former team when he began his tenure after the 2023 World Cup but, to date, each remain a ongoing development.

Business Factors

When investment group Silver Lake bought a stake in All Blacks in 2022, the subsequent announcement mentioned the "quest of worldwide growth" for the team.

That objective has perhaps been harder by the lack of a crossover star. Their key player and the group of family members continue to be well-known figures in the sport, but the spread of key individuals has expanded significantly. Savea is the sole All Black to win global recognition in the past six seasons, in contrast to ten awards in 13 years between the mid-2000s.

Global Expansion

Instead, attempts have been made to establish the All Blacks into new territories.

The opening phase of this northern hemisphere series brings New Zealand not to Dublin but the American city, a comeback to the stadium where Ireland secured a historic win in the fixture nine years ago.

Since the reduction of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have also