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Pursuing what would be just a fifth tour victory in their illustrious legacy, the New Zealand side have headed north at an pivotal moment.

Fixtures against Ireland, the Scottish side, the English squad and Wales await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, in addition to the possibility to match the teams of previous successful tours in the record books, the matches will be used as a benchmark to measure the improvement of the side under a head coach now well established from beginning his tenure.

Current Challenges

Doubts over a absence of an identifiable style, continuing controversies over player choices and leavings from the management team have all added to the perception that the most famous squad in the rugby is currently one in a time of change.

Most importantly, it is the dip in results from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to theorize that we have moved out of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Recent History

Before their journey for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that next year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will play the Springboks in a warm-weather tour dubbed 'a unique competition'.

Historically the rugby's premier teams, there is no question over who has lately dominated of what marketers have called 'The Premier Rivalry'.

Over the past seven years, the South African team have won a couple of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the squad of their era.

The All Blacks have continued to defeat the Irish team when it counts most, beating this weekend's rivals in the global competition of recent years. They have, meanwhile, lost just a couple of the recent encounters with the English team, have defeated the Welsh side in each game since 1963 and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Shifting Balance

But the loss of their standing as the game's gold standard will persist as an irritation.

While the New Zealand team excelled through the last ten years - securing 87% of their international games, as well as winning the global trophy on multiple times - the World Cup of 2019 can now be viewed as when the balance of power changed in the global game.

New Zealand defeated South Africa in their opening match of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were eventually successful in the championship match.

Since then, the New Zealand's winning percentage has declined to seventy-one percent. South Africa themselves were defeated in 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of last year, have won at a rate (83%) to match even the last great New Zealand team.

Recent Encounters

Over the comparable duration, the South African team have secured victory in five of the recent encounters between the sides, comprising success in the latest global tournament decider.

In claiming their current continental championship, Rassie Erasmus' side delivered a historic loss on the All Blacks courtesy of overwhelming display in Wellington, a score which has sparked another wave of controversy concerning the progress of the team under Robertson.

Possibly most troubling for fans of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their traditional strength, the Springboks' triumph has come with an offensive flair more commonly connected with their traditional rivals.

Playing Philosophy

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the height of their abilities a decade past, they were a clinical transition team able of destroying rivals from every section of the playing surface and at any moment of the match.

Today, their playing philosophy is less defined as the coach, who has given numerous first caps during his 24 months in control, tries to initially build the more prosaic core elements of a competitive squad.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member responsible for scoring, the current coach, will leave his role after the upcoming matches, becoming the additional person of the coaching staff to leave after another coach left last year after just limited matches.

Performance Gap

It was not just Robertson's success, but his methodology, that was expected to carry over from his former team when he began his tenure after the global competition but, as yet, each are still a continuous improvement.

Commercial Considerations

After financial organization Silver Lake acquired shares in All Blacks in recent years, the subsequent announcement discussed the "search of worldwide growth" for the brand.

That goal has possibly been more challenging by the shortage of a international celebrity. The current captain and the group of family members are still well-known figures in the sport, but the concentration of talented players has never been spread wider. The captain is the only New Zealand player to receive World Player of the Year in the recent years, in comparison to ten awards in over a decade between previous generations.

Worldwide Reach

Alternatively, attempts have been made to introduce the New Zealand team into new territories.

The first leg of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings New Zealand not to Dublin but Chicago, a comeback to the stadium where Ireland obtained a landmark success in the contest nine years ago.

Following the relaxation of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have also