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Pursuing what would be just a fifth tour victory in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an interesting juncture.

Matches against the Irish team, Scotland, England and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, beyond the chance to equal the squads of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to assess the development of the squad under a manager now well established from beginning his tenure.

Present Difficulties

Questions over a lack of an distinctive approach, ongoing discussions over player choices and exits from the management team have all fueled the perception that the most famous squad in the rugby is now one in a state of flux.

Most significantly, it is the drop in performances from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has prompted some to theorize that we have moved out of the period of New Zealand dominance.

Team Record

Prior to their travel for the European tour, it was confirmed that next year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will meet South Africa in a warm-weather tour dubbed 'a tour like no other'.

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

Over the past seven years, the Springboks have secured a couple of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the home nations team to be regarded as the side of their generation.

The All Blacks have maintained to overcome Ireland when it is crucial, defeating their next challengers in the World Cup quarter finals of recent years. They have, at the same time, lost just a pair of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have overcome Wales in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Shifting Balance

But the loss of their standing as the sport's measure of excellence will persist as an irritation.

Although the All Blacks excelled through the 2010s - achieving 87% of their fixtures, as well as claiming the World Cup on two occasions - the global tournament of 2019 can now be seen as when the balance of power moved in the global game.

New Zealand overcame the Springboks in their opening match of the tournament in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in the final.

After that event, the All Blacks' victory ratio has fallen to 71%. South Africa themselves lost 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of 2023, have achieved victory at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the former Kiwi champions.

Recent Encounters

During the same period, the South African team have secured victory in the majority of the recent encounters between the teams, comprising success in the 2023 World Cup final.

During their pursuit of their current regional title, South Africa delivered a significant beating on the All Blacks courtesy of dominant performance in Wellington, a score which has triggered another series of discussion about the development of the side under the coach.

Perhaps most jarring for followers of the New Zealand team will be that, combined with their traditional strength, the Springboks' achievement has come with an attacking verve more typically linked with their traditional rivals.

Playing Philosophy

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their capabilities a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit equipped of destroying competitors from all areas of the playing surface and at all times of the match.

Today, their playing philosophy is unclear as their leader, who has handed out numerous first caps 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 supporting manager responsible for attack, Jason Holland, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, making him the second member of Robertson's ticket to depart after previous staff member left last year after just limited matches.

Team Development

It was not merely his winning record, but his methodology, that was expected to translate from previous club when he began his tenure after the recent tournament but, to date, the two aspects continue to be a continuous improvement.

Commercial Considerations

After financial organization Silver Lake invested capital in All Blacks in the past, the following communication spoke of the "quest of new global opportunities" for the organization.

That objective has possibly been harder by the shortage of a crossover star. Their key player and the collection of family members continue to be household names in the sport, but the concentration of key individuals has never been spread wider. The captain is the single New Zealand player to win World Player of the Year in the current era, in contrast to ten awards in multiple seasons between the mid-2000s.

Worldwide Reach

Instead, attempts have been made to introduce the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.

The first leg of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but Chicago, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team secured a historic win in the contest in previous seasons.

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