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Pursuing what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the All Blacks have traveled to Europe at an crucial period.

Matches against the Irish team, the Scottish side, the English squad and Wales await Scott Robertson's side across the next four weekends but, in addition to the chance to join the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the fixtures will be used as a measure to assess the progress of the side under a head coach now well established from assuming control.

Current Challenges

Doubts over a absence of an identifiable style, ongoing discussions over selection and leavings from the coaching ticket have all contributed to the sense that the best-known side in the rugby is now one in a state of flux.

Most importantly, it is the decline in results from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has prompted some to speculate that we have moved out of the age of Kiwi superiority.

Past Performance

Ahead of their travel for the fall series, it was revealed that during the following season, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a warm-weather tour termed 'an unprecedented series'.

Traditionally the game's two strongest sides, there is no question over who has lately dominated of what promoters have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the South African team have secured a two of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a competition against the northern hemisphere selection to be considered as the squad of their generation.

New Zealand have maintained to beat Ireland when it matters most, beating this weekend's rivals in the tournament knockout stages of 2019 and '23. They have, meanwhile, lost just a couple of the recent encounters with the English team, have defeated the Welsh side in each game since over sixty years ago and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Evolving Landscape

But the decline of their position as the rugby's benchmark will remain frustrating.

Whereas the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the last ten years - achieving eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as winning the global trophy on two occasions - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be regarded as when the competitive landscape shifted in the world sport.

New Zealand overcame the Springboks in their first game of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in the final.

From that point, the All Blacks' winning percentage has declined to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves were defeated in 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of last year, have achieved victory at a rate (eighty-three percent) to rival even the last great New Zealand team.

Head-to-Head

Throughout the equivalent timeframe, the Springboks have secured victory in five of the past fixtures between the teams, featuring success in the recent championship match.

While securing their most recent southern hemisphere crown, Rassie Erasmus' side administered a significant beating on the All Blacks courtesy of 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a result which has sparked another round of discussion regarding the development of the side under the coach.

Maybe most troubling for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, the Springboks' achievement has come with an creative approach more commonly connected with their opposition team.

Style Evolution

At the time that the All Blacks were at the height of their powers 10 years ago, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit equipped of dismantling rivals from any part of the pitch and at all times of the game.

Today, their attacking style is more ambiguous as their leader, who has handed out multiple new players during his 24 months in command, tries to primarily create the basic core elements of a competitive squad.

It has recently revealed that the supporting manager overseeing scoring, Jason Holland, will leave his role after the autumn tour, becoming the second member of the coaching staff to exit after another coach walked away last year after just five Tests.

Performance Gap

It was not merely his winning record, but his methodology, that was anticipated to carry over from Crusaders when he took over after the recent tournament but, to date, both are still a work in progress.

Commercial Considerations

After private equity firm Silver Lake bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in the past, the following communication mentioned the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the team.

That objective has perhaps been more difficult by the lack of a international celebrity. The current captain and the collection of related players remain household names in the rugby, but the spread of key individuals has never been spread wider. Their leader is the single New Zealand player to receive global recognition in the current era, in contrast to 10 in multiple seasons between 2005 and '07.

Worldwide Reach

Instead, efforts have been made to introduce the New Zealand team into new territories.

The opening phase of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but Chicago, a return to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team obtained a landmark success in the match nine years ago.

Since the easing of health protocols, the All Blacks have furthermore