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Seeking what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their storied history, the New Zealand side have headed north at an interesting juncture.

Fixtures against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and the Welsh team await the All Blacks across the coming month but, quite aside from the chance to join the sides of previous successful tours in the history books, the matches will be used as a benchmark to measure the improvement of the side under a leader now two years on from assuming control.

Present Difficulties

Concerns over a absence of an clear playing identity, continuing controversies over player choices and exits from the backroom staff have all added to the perception that the best-known side in the rugby is presently one in a time of change.

Most pertinently, it is the drop in performances from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has led some to theorize that we have evolved beyond of the age of Kiwi superiority.

Recent History

Prior to their travel for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that next year, in the lack of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will play South Africa in a warm-weather tour dubbed 'an unprecedented series'.

In the past the sport's top competitors, there is clear agreement over who has recently got the better of what promoters have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the South African team have won a two of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be regarded as the side of their period.

The All Blacks have continued to overcome Ireland when it is crucial, beating their next challengers in the global competition of recent years. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just two of the recent encounters with England, have defeated Wales in all matches since over sixty years ago and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Changing Dynamics

But the decline of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will remain frustrating.

Although the All Blacks excelled through the last ten years - winning eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as winning the Webb Ellis on several instances - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be viewed as when the competitive landscape changed in the global game.

The All Blacks overcame South Africa in their opening match of the competition in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in Yokohama.

From that point, the All Blacks' victory ratio has dropped to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost ten of their next 26 Test matches but, since the start of 2023, have achieved victory at a percentage (83%) to compete with even the previous All Blacks side.

Head-to-Head

Throughout the equivalent timeframe, the South African team have won five of the past fixtures between the opponents, featuring victory in the latest global tournament decider.

While securing their current continental championship, South Africa inflicted a significant beating on the All Blacks through dominant performance in the capital, a outcome which has sparked another series of debate concerning the progress of the side under their leader.

Perhaps most troubling for fans of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their usual power, South Africa's success has come with an creative approach more typically linked with their traditional rivals.

Team Identity

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the peak of their powers in previous eras, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit equipped of dismantling competitors from every section of the playing surface and at any moment of the contest.

Currently, their offensive approach is more ambiguous as their leader, who has awarded 19 debuts during his recent tenure in control, tries to primarily create the basic building blocks of a winning team.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member in charge of scoring, Jason Holland, will leave his role after the upcoming matches, making him the additional person of the coaching staff to exit after another coach walked away last year after just five Tests.

Performance Gap

It was not just previous achievements, but his methodology, that was expected to carry over from previous club when he assumed control after the 2023 World Cup but, as yet, both remain a continuous improvement.

Commercial Considerations

When private equity firm Silver Lake bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in the past, the ensuing statement mentioned the "search of international expansion" for the organization.

That goal has maybe been harder by the absence of a global icon. Ardie Savea and the trio of family members remain well-known figures in the sport, but the distribution of key individuals has become more diverse. Their leader is the sole New Zealand player to win World Player of the Year in the past six seasons, in opposition to ten awards in 13 years between previous generations.

Worldwide Reach

Alternatively, initiatives have been made to transplant the New Zealand team into emerging regions.

The initial stage of this northern hemisphere series brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where Ireland obtained a historic win in the match nine years ago.

Following the relaxation of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have also