Will the All Blacks find their spark this autumn?

Seeking what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their illustrious legacy, the New Zealand side have headed north at an crucial period.

Games against the Irish team, Scotland, England and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the next four weekends but, quite aside from the opportunity to match the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the development of the squad under a manager now 24 months into from beginning his tenure.

Team Issues

Doubts over a lack of an identifiable style, continuing controversies over team picks and exits from the backroom staff have all contributed to the sense that the most recognisable team in the sport is now one in a time of change.

Most significantly, it is the decline in outcomes from a past excellence set between the World Cups of the last decade that has led some to speculate that we have transitioned away of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Recent History

Ahead of their departure for the northern hemisphere, it was confirmed that next year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will face South Africa in a off-season matches called 'a tour like no other'.

In the past the rugby's premier teams, there is no question over who has recently got the better of what organizers have called 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the South African team have secured a two of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the home nations team to be regarded as the team of their era.

The All Blacks have continued to defeat the Irish team when it counts most, overcoming Saturday's opponents in the tournament knockout stages of the past two tournaments. They have, meanwhile, lost just a couple of the past 21 meetings with England, have overcome Wales in each game since 1963 and have always been victorious by the Scottish team.

Changing Dynamics

But the diminishment of their standing as the game's gold standard will continue to rankle.

Although the New Zealand team excelled through the previous decade - achieving 87% of their international games, as well as lifting the World Cup on several instances - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be seen as when the balance of power moved in the international rugby.

The All Blacks beat the Springboks in their opening match of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the championship match.

From that point, the All Blacks' winning percentage has declined to 71%. The Springboks themselves were defeated in 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, from the beginning of last year, have won at a rate (eighty-three percent) to rival even the former Kiwi champions.

Recent Encounters

During the equivalent timeframe, the 'Boks have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the sides, including triumph in the recent championship match.

During their pursuit of their most recent southern hemisphere crown, South Africa inflicted a record 43-10 defeat on the All Blacks courtesy of dominant performance in their home ground, a outcome which has triggered another wave of discussion regarding the progress of the team under their leader.

Possibly most concerning for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their usual power, the Springboks' triumph has come with an attacking verve more usually associated with their opposition team.

Style Evolution

At the time that the New Zealand team were at the peak of their powers 10 years ago, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit capable of dismantling opponents from every section of the pitch and at any point of the contest.

Now, their playing philosophy is unclear as Robertson, who has given numerous first caps during his 24 months in command, tries to initially build the basic building blocks of a successful side.

It has recently revealed that the assistant coach overseeing scoring, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the autumn tour, becoming the second member of management team to leave after Leon MacDonald walked away last year after just a handful of games.

Performance Gap

It was not merely Robertson's success, but his approach, that was predicted to translate from previous club when he assumed control after the recent tournament but, to date, both remain a continuous improvement.

Commercial Considerations

When private equity firm the company bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in the past, the following communication mentioned the "search of new global opportunities" for the team.

That task has perhaps been more challenging by the absence of a crossover star. Their key player and the collection of related players remain household names in the game, but the concentration of talented players has never been spread wider. Their leader is the single All Black to win World Player of the Year in the past six seasons, in comparison to 10 in over a decade between the mid-2000s.

Global Expansion

Alternatively, efforts have been made to establish the New Zealand team into previously untapped markets.

The first leg of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a revisit to the stadium where Ireland achieved a first ever victory in the match during past tours.

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