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Seeking what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their storied history, the All Blacks have headed north at an crucial period.

Games against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the next four weekends but, beyond the possibility to match the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the matches will be used as a benchmark to assess the progress of the side under a head coach now well established from beginning his tenure.

Current Challenges

Doubts over a shortage of an clear playing identity, continuing controversies over selection and exits from the coaching ticket have all fueled the feeling that the most famous squad in the sport is now one in a period of transition.

Most pertinently, it is the decline in performances from a previous peak set between the World Cups of the last decade that has caused some to speculate that we have moved out of the era of New Zealand dominance.

Recent History

Before their travel for the northern hemisphere, it was confirmed that during the following season, in the absence of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will meet the Springboks in a summer series called 'a tour like no other'.

Historically the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has recently got the better of what promoters have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.

Over the past seven years, the South African team have won a two of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the squad of their period.

The All Blacks have continued to defeat Ireland when it matters most, defeating Saturday's opponents in the tournament knockout stages of recent years. They have, additionally, lost just a couple of the recent encounters with England, have defeated the Welsh side in all matches since the sixties and have always been victorious by the Scottish team.

Changing Dynamics

But the diminishment of their position as the sport's measure of excellence will remain frustrating.

Whereas the New Zealand team dominated through the 2010s - achieving eighty-seven percent of their international games, as well as claiming the Webb Ellis on several instances - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be regarded as when the balance of power shifted in the global game.

The All Blacks defeated South Africa in their initial fixture of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in Yokohama.

From that point, the All Blacks' victory ratio has declined to seventy-one percent. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their following games but, since the start of last year, have won at a rate (eighty-three percent) to rival even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

During the comparable duration, the Springboks have won the majority of the recent encounters between the teams, comprising success in the recent championship match.

In claiming their most recent continental championship, the Springboks inflicted a record 43-10 defeat on the All Blacks thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a result which has ignited another series of controversy concerning the development of the squad under the coach.

Perhaps most concerning for fans of the All Blacks will be that, combined with their traditional strength, South Africa's success has come with an attacking verve more usually associated with their opposition team.

Team Identity

At the time that the New Zealand team were at the height of their capabilities in previous eras, they were a devastating offensive machine capable of shredding rivals from every section of the field and at any point of the match.

Today, their playing philosophy is unclear as Robertson, who has given multiple new players during his two years in command, tries to primarily create the basic building blocks of a winning team.

It has already been confirmed that the supporting manager overseeing offense, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the autumn tour, making him the additional person of Robertson's ticket to leave after another coach left last year after just five Tests.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not merely Robertson's success, but his style, that was expected to translate from Crusaders when he took over after the 2023 World Cup but, so far, each are still a work in progress.

Business Factors

When investment group the company bought a stake in All Blacks in 2022, the ensuing statement spoke of the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the team.

That goal has perhaps been more challenging by the lack of a international celebrity. Their key player and the trio of related players continue to be household names in the rugby, but the spread of talented players has become more diverse. Their leader is the single All Black to win international honors in the current era, in contrast to ten awards in over a decade between previous generations.

Global Expansion

Alternatively, initiatives have been undertaken to transplant the New Zealand team into new territories.

The first leg of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but the American city, a return to the stadium where the Irish team achieved a landmark success in the fixture nine years ago.

Since the easing of pandemic limitations, the All Blacks have furthermore