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

Matches against the Irish team, the Scottish side, the English squad and the Welsh team await Scott Robertson's side across the next four weekends but, quite aside from the chance to equal the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the record books, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the progress of the side under a manager now well established from beginning his tenure.

Present Difficulties

Doubts over a absence of an distinctive approach, ongoing discussions over selection and exits from the backroom staff have all added to the sense that the most famous squad in the rugby is presently one in a time of change.

Most importantly, it is the dip in outcomes from a past excellence set between the World Cups of the last decade that has led some to theorize that we have moved out of the era of New Zealand dominance.

Recent History

Prior to their travel for the fall series, it was confirmed that during the following season, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will play the Springboks in a warm-weather tour dubbed 'a unique competition'.

In the past the sport's top competitors, there is little doubt over who has currently outperformed of what promoters have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the Springboks have won a pair of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the British and Irish Lions to be considered as the team of their era.

The All Blacks have maintained to beat the Irish team when it is crucial, defeating this weekend's rivals in the global competition of 2019 and '23. They have, at the same time, lost just two of the recent encounters with the English team, have overcome Wales in each game since the sixties and have remained unbeaten by Scotland.

Evolving Landscape

But the diminishment of their position as the rugby's benchmark will continue to rankle.

Whereas the New Zealand team excelled through the 2010s - achieving eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as winning the World Cup on two occasions - the World Cup of 2019 can now be regarded as when the hierarchical structure moved in the global game.

New Zealand beat South Africa in their first game of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in the final.

Since then, the New Zealand's victory ratio has fallen to 71%. South Africa themselves lost ten of their following games but, commencing of last year, have achieved victory at a frequency (eighty-three percent) to match even the previous All Blacks side.

Recent Encounters

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

During their pursuit of their latest continental championship, South Africa inflicted a historic loss on the All Blacks through dominant performance in their home ground, a result which has triggered another round of discussion about the progress of the squad under Robertson.

Perhaps most troubling for followers of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their traditional strength, South Africa's success 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 zenith of their powers a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of shredding opponents from all areas of the field and at any moment of the contest.

Now, their attacking style is unclear as the coach, who has handed out multiple new players during his two years in charge, tries to initially build the fundamental building blocks of a winning team.

It has recently revealed that the backroom staff member responsible for scoring, the current coach, will exit the team after the upcoming matches, becoming the next individual of Robertson's ticket to depart after Leon MacDonald left last year after just five Tests.

Team Development

It was not merely previous achievements, but his style, that was expected to transfer from Crusaders when he took over after the global competition but, as yet, both remain a continuous improvement.

Business Factors

Following financial organization the company invested capital in New Zealand rugby in the past, the following communication discussed the "quest of new global opportunities" for the team.

That task has maybe been more difficult by the shortage of a international celebrity. Their key player and the group of Barrett brothers remain recognizable personalities in the game, but the spread of talented players has become more diverse. Savea 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 the mid-2000s.

International Growth

Rather, initiatives have been implemented to introduce the All Blacks into new territories.

The initial stage of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but the American city, a revisit to the location where Ireland secured a landmark success in the contest nine years ago.

After the easing of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have furthermore