Will the All Blacks rediscover their magic during the fall tour?
Pursuing what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their storied history, the New Zealand side have embarked on their tour at an pivotal moment.
Matches against Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the chance to equal the sides of previous successful tours in the annals of rugby, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the development of the squad under a manager now two years on from assuming control.
Team Issues
Doubts over a lack of an identifiable style, ongoing discussions over player choices and departures from the management team have all added to the perception that the best-known side in the sport is now one in a state of flux.
Most significantly, it is the dip in performances from a past excellence set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to theorize that we have evolved beyond of the age of Kiwi superiority.
Past Performance
Ahead of their departure for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that next year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will meet South Africa in a summer series dubbed 'a tour like no other'.
Traditionally the rugby's premier teams, there is no question over who has currently outperformed of what promoters have labeled 'The Ultimate Contest'.
During the last decade, the Springboks have claimed a pair of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the team of their period.
New Zealand have continued to overcome Ireland when it matters most, overcoming their next challengers in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, additionally, lost just two of the recent encounters with the English team, have overcome Wales in each game since over sixty years ago and have never suffered defeat by the Scottish team.
Changing Dynamics
But the diminishment of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will persist as an irritation.
While the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the last ten years - winning eighty-seven percent of their international games, as well as winning the World Cup on multiple times - the World Cup of the previous competition can now be viewed as when the competitive landscape moved in the global game.
The All Blacks defeated the Springboks in their initial fixture of the tournament in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in the final.
Since then, the All Blacks' winning percentage has fallen to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves were defeated in 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, from the beginning of 2023, have achieved victory at a rate (eighty-three percent) to rival even the previous All Blacks side.
Head-to-Head
During the equivalent timeframe, the 'Boks have secured victory in five of the recent encounters between the opponents, including victory in the recent championship match.
During their pursuit of their current continental championship, South Africa delivered a historic loss on the New Zealand team thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a result which has sparked another series of controversy about the development of the squad under Robertson.
Maybe most concerning for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their characteristic physicality, South Africa's triumph has come with an attacking verve more commonly connected with their traditional rivals.
Playing Philosophy
When the New Zealand team were at the height of their powers in previous eras, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of dismantling competitors from any part of the field and at any moment of the match.
Currently, their offensive approach is more ambiguous as their leader, who has awarded 19 debuts during his recent tenure in command, tries to first establish the fundamental core elements of a winning team.
It has recently revealed that the backroom staff member in charge of scoring, the current coach, will depart his position after the fall series, making him the additional person of the coaching staff to depart after Leon MacDonald left last year after just five Tests.
Team Development
It was not merely his winning record, but his methodology, that was predicted to transfer from his former team when he assumed control after the 2023 World Cup but, to date, the two aspects continue to be a continuous improvement.
Business Factors
After investment group investors bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in recent years, the following communication mentioned the "pursuit of worldwide growth" for the team.
That goal has perhaps been harder by the shortage of a international celebrity. Their key player and the group of Barrett brothers remain well-known figures in the sport, but the concentration of key individuals has expanded significantly. Their leader is the only New Zealand player to earn World Player of the Year in the recent years, in opposition to ten awards in over a decade between the mid-2000s.
Global Expansion
Instead, attempts have been made to establish the All Blacks into emerging regions.
The initial stage of this northern hemisphere series brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a return to the Soldier Field venue where Ireland secured a historic win in the fixture nine years ago.
Following the easing of health protocols, the New Zealand team have also
