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Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have headed north at an pivotal moment.

Matches against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the chance to match the teams of previous successful tours in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a measure to assess the improvement of the side under a leader now 24 months into from beginning his tenure.

Present Difficulties

Questions over a shortage of an clear playing identity, ongoing discussions over team picks and exits from the management team have all contributed to the perception that the best-known side in the rugby is presently one in a state of flux.

Most pertinently, it is the decline in outcomes from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has led some to theorize that we have transitioned away of the period of Kiwi superiority.

Recent History

Prior to their journey for the European tour, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will play the Springboks in a off-season matches termed 'an unprecedented series'.

In the past the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what promoters have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the Springboks have secured a pair of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be regarded as the team of their generation.

The All Blacks have continued to overcome Ireland when it matters most, overcoming this weekend's rivals in the global competition of the past two tournaments. They have, additionally, lost just two of the recent encounters with the English team, have defeated the Welsh side in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Evolving Landscape

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

While the All Blacks reigned supreme through the 2010s - securing eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as claiming the World Cup on several instances - the World Cup of 2019 can now be regarded as when the hierarchical structure shifted in the global game.

The All Blacks overcame South Africa in their initial fixture of the tournament in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in the championship match.

Since then, the All Blacks' success rate has declined to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, from the beginning of 2023, have won at a frequency (83%) to compete with even the last great New Zealand team.

Recent Encounters

Over the comparable duration, the Springboks have won the majority of the seven meetings between the sides, comprising victory in the recent championship match.

During their pursuit of their most recent regional title, South Africa inflicted a record 43-10 defeat on the All Blacks courtesy of overwhelming display in their home ground, a result which has ignited another round of debate about the progress of the side under their leader.

Maybe most concerning for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their usual power, South Africa's success has come with an offensive flair more usually associated with their own side.

Style Evolution

During the period when the All Blacks were at the peak of their capabilities 10 years ago, they were a clinical transition team equipped of destroying competitors from all areas of the field and at all times of the match.

Today, their offensive approach is less defined as Robertson, who has handed out multiple new players during his two years in command, tries to primarily create the basic foundations of a successful side.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member responsible for scoring, the current coach, will depart his position after the autumn tour, making him the second member of Robertson's ticket to depart after previous staff member left last year after just a handful of games.

Performance Gap

It was not only his winning record, but his methodology, that was anticipated to transfer from Crusaders when he took over after the recent tournament but, to date, the two aspects remain a continuous improvement.

Organizational Strategy

When private equity firm the company acquired shares in New Zealand rugby in 2022, the ensuing statement discussed the "quest of international expansion" for the brand.

That goal has perhaps been more challenging by the shortage of a international celebrity. Their key player and the collection of Barrett brothers are still household names in the rugby, but the spread of key individuals has never been spread wider. The captain is the single All Black to earn global recognition in the recent years, in comparison to 10 in over a decade between 2005 and '07.

Worldwide Reach

Instead, initiatives have been implemented to transplant the New Zealand team into emerging regions.

The initial stage of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team obtained a historic win in the match during past tours.

Since the easing of health protocols, the New Zealand team have additionally