Can the All Blacks find their spark in the upcoming matches?
Aiming for what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their illustrious legacy, the New Zealand side have embarked on their tour at an crucial period.
Matches against the Irish team, the Scottish side, England and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, quite aside from the possibility to match the teams of previous successful tours in the history books, the matches will be used as a benchmark to measure the development of the side under a leader now well established from taking up the reins.
Present Difficulties
Concerns over a absence of an identifiable style, continuing controversies over selection and exits from the management team have all fueled the perception that the best-known side in the sport is currently one in a time of change.
Most pertinently, it is the drop in performances from a previous peak set between the World Cups of the last decade that has led some to suggest that we have transitioned away of the period of All Black exceptionalism.
Team Record
Prior to their travel for the northern hemisphere, it was revealed that in the coming year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a summer series dubbed 'a tour like no other'.
Historically the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has lately dominated of what promoters have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.
Over the past seven years, the Springboks have claimed a couple of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the British and Irish Lions to be regarded as the side of their period.
New Zealand have maintained to beat Ireland when it matters most, beating Saturday's opponents in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, additionally, lost just a couple of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have beaten the Welsh side in all matches since over sixty years ago and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.
Changing Dynamics
But the diminishment of their standing as the rugby's benchmark will remain frustrating.
Whereas the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the previous decade - achieving 87% of their fixtures, as well as claiming the Webb Ellis on multiple times - the World Cup of the previous competition can now be seen as when the competitive landscape shifted in the international rugby.
The All Blacks beat the Springboks in their opening match of the championship in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were ultimately triumphant in the final.
Since then, the New Zealand's victory ratio has declined to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves were defeated in 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, from the beginning of last year, have achieved victory at a frequency (83%) to compete with even the former Kiwi champions.
Head-to-Head
During the same period, the South African team have won the majority of the seven meetings between the sides, featuring triumph in the 2023 World Cup final.
In claiming their current regional title, Rassie Erasmus' side inflicted a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team through overwhelming display in Wellington, a score which has ignited another series of discussion concerning the progress of the squad under Robertson.
Possibly most concerning for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their characteristic physicality, South Africa's achievement has come with an attacking verve more usually associated with their traditional rivals.
Style Evolution
At the time that the New Zealand team were at the peak of their capabilities in previous eras, they were a devastating offensive machine equipped of shredding competitors from every section of the pitch and at all times of the game.
Now, their playing philosophy is more ambiguous as their leader, who has given multiple new players during his 24 months in charge, tries to primarily create the fundamental core elements of a winning team.
It has recently revealed that the backroom staff member in charge of attack, Jason Holland, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, making him the next individual of the coaching staff to leave after previous staff member left last year after just five Tests.
Expectations vs Reality
It was not just Robertson's success, but his style, that was predicted to transfer from his former team when he took over after the recent tournament but, to date, the two aspects remain a work in progress.
Business Factors
Following financial organization the company acquired shares in All Blacks in 2022, the subsequent announcement spoke of the "search of new global opportunities" for the organization.
That task has maybe been harder by the lack of a international celebrity. The current captain and the collection of Barrett brothers are still recognizable personalities in the rugby, but the spread of talented players has expanded significantly. The captain is the only All Black to earn international honors in the past six seasons, in comparison to ten awards in 13 years between 2005 and '07.
Worldwide Reach
Instead, efforts have been undertaken to transplant the All Blacks into emerging regions.
The initial stage of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings New Zealand not to Dublin but Chicago, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team achieved a landmark success in the contest nine years ago.
After the relaxation of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have furthermore
