Will the All Blacks find their winning form during the fall tour?
Seeking what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their storied history, the All Blacks have headed north at an interesting juncture.
Fixtures against the Irish team, Scotland, England and Wales await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the possibility to join the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the fixtures will be used as a benchmark to assess the improvement of the team under a manager now 24 months into from taking up the reins.
Team Issues
Doubts over a lack of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over player choices and exits from the coaching ticket have all fueled the perception that the best-known side in the game is now one in a period of transition.
Most importantly, it is the drop in results from a historic high watermark set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has led some to speculate that we have transitioned away of the age of All Black exceptionalism.
Past Performance
Ahead of their journey for the fall series, it was announced that next year, in the lack of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will face South Africa in a summer series called 'an unprecedented series'.
Traditionally the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has recently got the better of what marketers have labeled 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.
Over the past seven years, the Springboks have won a two of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the home nations team to be regarded as the team of their era.
New Zealand have maintained to defeat Ireland when it is crucial, beating this weekend's rivals in the World Cup quarter finals of recent years. They have, at the same time, been defeated in just a couple of the recent encounters with England, have beaten Wales in all matches since the sixties and have always been victorious by Scotland.
Evolving Landscape
But the diminishment of their position as the game's gold standard will continue to rankle.
Whereas the All Blacks dominated through the previous decade - winning 87% of their Test matches, as well as winning the Webb Ellis on two occasions - the World Cup of 2019 can now be regarded as when the competitive landscape moved in the international rugby.
The All Blacks beat the Springboks in their first game of the championship in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in Yokohama.
Since then, the All Blacks' success rate has declined to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves lost ten of their next 26 Test matches but, from the beginning of last year, have won at a percentage (83%) to compete with even the former Kiwi champions.
Direct Competition
Throughout the equivalent timeframe, the Springboks have secured victory in five of the seven meetings between the opponents, including success in the recent championship match.
In claiming their latest continental championship, South Africa administered a historic loss on the New Zealand team thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a outcome which has triggered another series of controversy about the progress of the team under the coach.
Perhaps most concerning for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their usual power, South Africa's success has come with an creative approach more typically linked with their own side.
Playing Philosophy
During the period when the All Blacks were at the peak of their capabilities in previous eras, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit equipped of destroying rivals from any part of the pitch and at any moment of the game.
Now, their offensive approach is more ambiguous as the coach, who has handed out numerous first caps during his recent tenure in control, tries to initially build the basic building blocks of a successful side.
It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member in charge of scoring, Jason Holland, will leave his role after the fall series, making him the additional person of Robertson's ticket to leave after another coach walked away last year after just a handful of games.
Performance Gap
It was not just previous achievements, but his approach, that was expected to translate from previous club when he assumed control after the 2023 World Cup but, as yet, the two aspects continue to be a continuous improvement.
Organizational Strategy
After financial organization the company invested capital in New Zealand rugby in recent years, the ensuing statement mentioned the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the organization.
That objective has maybe been harder by the shortage of a global icon. Ardie Savea and the collection of Barrett brothers remain well-known figures in the sport, but the spread of key individuals has never been spread wider. Their leader is the only New Zealand player to receive international honors in the recent years, in contrast to ten awards in multiple seasons between previous generations.
International Growth
Rather, initiatives have been implemented to transplant the All Blacks into new territories.
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 achieved a landmark success in the contest during past tours.
After the relaxation of pandemic limitations, the All Blacks have furthermore
