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Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the New Zealand side have embarked on their tour at an pivotal moment.

Matches against the Irish team, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, beyond the chance to equal the teams of previous successful tours in the history books, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to assess the progress of the side under a manager now 24 months into from taking up the reins.

Present Difficulties

Questions over a lack of an clear playing identity, continuing controversies over selection and leavings from the coaching ticket have all added to the perception that the most famous squad in the rugby is currently one in a period of transition.

Most importantly, it is the drop in outcomes from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has prompted some to theorize that we have evolved beyond of the age of Kiwi superiority.

Past Performance

Ahead of their travel for the European tour, it was revealed that during the following season, in the lack of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will meet South Africa in a off-season matches called 'a unique competition'.

In the past the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has lately dominated of what promoters have called 'The Premier Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the South African team have claimed a two of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the home nations team to be regarded as the side of their era.

The All Blacks have persisted to defeat Ireland when it matters most, beating Saturday's opponents in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, at the same time, been defeated in just a couple of the recent encounters with the English team, have defeated Wales in each game since over sixty years ago and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.

Changing Dynamics

But the diminishment of their standing as the rugby's benchmark will continue to rankle.

Whereas the All Blacks reigned supreme through the last ten years - securing 87% of their international games, as well as claiming the Webb Ellis on two occasions - the World Cup of the previous competition can now be seen as when the balance of power shifted in the global game.

The All Blacks overcame the Springboks in their opening match of the competition in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were ultimately triumphant in the championship match.

Since then, the New Zealand's success rate has fallen to 71%. South Africa themselves lost ten of their next 26 Test matches but, from the beginning of last year, have achieved victory at a rate (83%) to match even the last great New Zealand team.

Head-to-Head

Over the same period, the Springboks have secured victory in five of the seven meetings between the teams, comprising triumph in the latest global tournament decider.

In claiming their current continental championship, the Springboks administered a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team thanks to dominant performance in their home ground, a score which has ignited another round of controversy about the direction of the team under the coach.

Possibly most troubling for followers of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their traditional strength, the Springboks' triumph has come with an offensive flair more typically linked with their own side.

Team Identity

When the All Blacks were at the peak of their capabilities a decade past, they were a devastating offensive machine capable of destroying competitors from every section of the playing surface and at any moment of the contest.

Today, their attacking style is more ambiguous as Robertson, who has handed out 19 debuts during his 24 months in charge, tries to primarily create the more prosaic foundations of a winning team.

It has previously announced that the backroom staff member overseeing attack, the current coach, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, making him the second member of management team to depart after previous staff member departed last year after just a handful of games.

Performance Gap

It was not merely his winning record, but his style, that was predicted to carry over from Crusaders when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, to date, both continue to be a ongoing development.

Commercial Considerations

Following financial organization investors invested capital in All Blacks in recent years, the following communication mentioned the "quest of new global opportunities" for the brand.

That goal has perhaps been harder by the shortage of a global icon. The current captain and the group of family members remain well-known figures in the game, but the distribution of stars has become more diverse. The captain is the sole All Black to win World Player of the Year in the current era, in comparison to ten awards in over a decade between 2005 and '07.

Worldwide Reach

Rather, initiatives have been made to establish the New Zealand team into new territories.

The initial stage of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but Chicago, a comeback to the location where the Irish team secured a landmark success in the fixture during past tours.

After the relaxation of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have additionally