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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 pivotal moment.

Matches against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, quite aside from the possibility to match the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the fixtures will be used as a measure to assess the improvement of the squad under a head coach now well established from taking up the reins.

Team Issues

Questions over a lack of an clear playing identity, ongoing discussions over team picks and exits from the management team have all fueled the perception that the most recognisable team in the game is currently one in a period of transition.

Most pertinently, it is the dip in performances from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to theorize that we have moved out of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Team Record

Before their journey for the European tour, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the absence of the southern hemisphere competition, New Zealand will meet the Springboks in a warm-weather tour termed 'a tour like no other'.

Traditionally the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has recently got the better of what marketers have labeled 'The Ultimate Contest'.

In recent seasons, the Springboks have won a two of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the British and Irish Lions to be considered as the squad of their period.

The All Blacks have persisted to overcome the Irish team when it counts most, beating their next challengers in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, at the same time, lost just a pair of the last fixtures with the English team, have defeated the Welsh side in every encounter since over sixty years ago and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Shifting Balance

But the loss of their position as the game's gold standard will remain frustrating.

Whereas the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the 2010s - winning eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as lifting the Webb Ellis on two occasions - the World Cup of 2019 can now be seen as when the hierarchical structure shifted in the international rugby.

The All Blacks beat the Springboks in their first game of the competition in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in the final.

From that point, the New Zealand's victory ratio has dropped to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, since the start of 2023, have won at a frequency (83%) to match even the former Kiwi champions.

Recent Encounters

Over the same period, the Springboks have secured victory in the majority of the seven meetings between the opponents, featuring victory in the 2023 World Cup final.

During their pursuit of their most recent regional title, South Africa delivered a historic loss on the All Blacks courtesy of overwhelming display in Wellington, a outcome which has triggered another series of debate about the direction of the side under their leader.

Maybe most concerning for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, South Africa's success has come with an offensive flair more usually associated with their own side.

Playing Philosophy

When the New Zealand team were at the height of their powers a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit equipped of destroying opponents from every section of the pitch and at all times of the match.

Now, their offensive approach is less defined as the coach, who has awarded 19 debuts during his 24 months in charge, tries to primarily create the more prosaic foundations of a winning team.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member in charge of offense, their offensive coordinator, will exit the team after the autumn tour, making him the additional person of management team to depart after Leon MacDonald walked away last year after just five Tests.

Team Development

It was not merely his winning record, but his approach, that was expected to transfer from his former team when he began his tenure after the recent tournament but, as yet, the two aspects continue to be a ongoing development.

Business Factors

After investment group Silver Lake acquired shares in All Blacks in the past, the subsequent announcement discussed the "quest of new global opportunities" for the brand.

That objective has perhaps been harder by the shortage of a crossover star. Ardie Savea and the group of Barrett brothers continue to be household names in the sport, but the spread of talented players has never been spread wider. Their leader is the single All Black to receive global recognition in the current era, in opposition to ten awards in over a decade between previous generations.

International Growth

Rather, initiatives have been made to establish the New Zealand team into previously untapped markets.

The initial stage of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a revisit to the stadium where the Irish team obtained a first ever victory in the contest during past tours.

Since the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have furthermore