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Pursuing what would be just a fifth tour victory in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an pivotal moment.

Fixtures against the Irish team, the Scottish side, England and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, beyond the opportunity to join the teams of previous successful tours in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the progress of the team under a manager now two years on from assuming control.

Present Difficulties

Questions over a shortage of an identifiable style, continuing controversies over selection and exits from the management team have all contributed to the perception that the best-known side in the game is currently one in a state of flux.

Most significantly, it is the drop in performances from a historic high watermark set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to suggest that we have evolved beyond of the age of New Zealand dominance.

Recent History

Prior to their journey for the European tour, it was revealed that in the coming year, in the absence of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will play the Springboks in a summer series called 'an unprecedented series'.

Traditionally the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what promoters have labeled 'The Ultimate Contest'.

During the last decade, the South African team have secured a two of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be regarded as the team of their generation.

New Zealand have maintained to overcome Ireland when it counts most, defeating their next challengers in the World Cup quarter finals of the past two tournaments. They have, at the same time, lost just a couple of the last fixtures with England, have defeated the Welsh side in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Evolving Landscape

But the decline of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will continue to rankle.

Whereas the All Blacks reigned supreme through the 2010s - winning eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as claiming the Webb Ellis on multiple times - the global tournament of 2019 can now be seen as when the hierarchical structure shifted in the world sport.

The All Blacks beat the Springboks in their initial fixture of the tournament in Japan, but it was the Boks' who were ultimately triumphant in the championship match.

After that event, the New Zealand's winning percentage has fallen to 71%. South Africa themselves lost ten of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of 2023, have achieved victory at a frequency (83%) to match even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

Over the same period, the Springboks have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the teams, including triumph in the latest global tournament decider.

During their pursuit of their current southern hemisphere crown, Rassie Erasmus' side administered a historic loss on the All Blacks courtesy of dominant performance in Wellington, a score which has ignited another series of debate about the direction of the side under the coach.

Maybe most jarring for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their traditional strength, South Africa's achievement has come with an creative approach more usually associated with their traditional rivals.

Team Identity

At the time that the All Blacks were at the peak of their capabilities in previous eras, they were a devastating offensive machine equipped of destroying rivals from any part of the playing surface and at any point of the contest.

Currently, their attacking style is more ambiguous as their leader, who has handed out 19 debuts during his recent tenure in control, tries to primarily create the fundamental building blocks of a winning team.

It has recently revealed that the backroom staff member overseeing scoring, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the upcoming matches, becoming the additional person of Robertson's ticket to exit after previous staff member walked away last year after just a handful of games.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not just previous achievements, but his style, that was predicted to carry over from previous club when he began his tenure after the global competition but, so far, both are still a ongoing development.

Commercial Considerations

Following private equity firm investors bought a stake in All Blacks in recent years, the subsequent announcement mentioned the "search of worldwide growth" for the team.

That objective has possibly been more difficult by the absence of a international celebrity. The current captain and the trio of Barrett brothers continue to be recognizable personalities in the rugby, but the distribution of talented players has become more diverse. The captain is the single All Black to win World Player of the Year in the past six seasons, in opposition to ten awards in 13 years between previous generations.

Global Expansion

Rather, initiatives have been implemented to transplant the New Zealand team into new territories.

The first leg of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but the American city, a revisit to the location where Ireland obtained a first ever victory in the contest in previous seasons.

Following the reduction of health protocols, the New Zealand team have furthermore