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Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their illustrious legacy, the New Zealand side have headed north at an crucial period.

Matches against the Irish team, the Scottish side, England and the Welsh team await the All Blacks across the next four weekends but, quite aside from the chance to match the squads of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the development of the side under a head coach now well established from beginning his tenure.

Present Difficulties

Concerns over a absence of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over player choices and exits from the management team have all added to the perception that the most recognisable team in the sport is currently one in a time of change.

Most importantly, it is the decline in results from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of the last decade that has prompted some to suggest that we have evolved beyond of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Team Record

Prior to their departure for the European tour, it was confirmed that during the following season, in the absence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will meet the Springboks in a off-season matches called 'a unique competition'.

Historically the rugby's premier teams, there is little doubt over who has recently got the better of what organizers have called 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.

In recent seasons, the South African team have secured a pair of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the side of their era.

The All Blacks have persisted to overcome Ireland when it is crucial, overcoming Saturday's opponents in the World Cup quarter finals of recent years. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just a couple of the last fixtures with the English team, have beaten the Welsh side in all matches since the sixties and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Changing Dynamics

But the diminishment of their standing as the sport's measure of excellence will remain frustrating.

Although the All Blacks excelled through the 2010s - securing 87% of their Test matches, as well as lifting the Webb Ellis on several instances - the global tournament of 2019 can now be seen as when the hierarchical structure moved in the global game.

The All Blacks overcame the Springboks in their first game of the championship in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were ultimately triumphant in the final.

After that event, the All Blacks' victory ratio has fallen to 71%. South Africa themselves lost ten of their following games but, from the beginning of last year, have achieved victory at a rate (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

Throughout the same period, the Springboks have secured victory in five of the seven meetings between the sides, including success in the latest global tournament decider.

During their pursuit of their current regional title, South Africa delivered a significant beating on the All Blacks thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in the capital, a outcome which has ignited another wave of controversy about the progress of the squad under Robertson.

Perhaps most concerning for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their usual power, South Africa's triumph has come with an creative approach more usually associated with their traditional rivals.

Style Evolution

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the height of their abilities in previous eras, they were a clinical transition team capable of shredding rivals from any part of the pitch and at all times of the match.

Now, their playing philosophy is unclear as Robertson, who has awarded numerous first caps during his recent tenure in control, tries to initially build the fundamental core elements of a successful side.

It has previously announced that the assistant coach responsible for scoring, the current coach, will depart his position after the fall series, making him the additional person of management team to depart after Leon MacDonald walked away last year after just limited matches.

Team Development

It was not just his winning record, but his style, that was anticipated to carry over from previous club when he began his tenure after the recent tournament but, to date, both are still a ongoing development.

Commercial Considerations

Following private equity firm Silver Lake acquired shares in New Zealand rugby in the past, the subsequent announcement mentioned the "search of worldwide growth" for the organization.

That objective has possibly been more difficult by the absence of a crossover star. Their key player and the trio of family members are still household names in the game, but the concentration of talented players has become more diverse. The captain is the single New Zealand player to receive World Player of the Year in the recent years, in opposition to 10 in over a decade between 2005 and '07.

Worldwide Reach

Alternatively, initiatives have been implemented to transplant the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.

The first leg of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but the American city, a comeback to the location where Ireland obtained a landmark success in the fixture during past tours.

After the relaxation of health protocols, the New Zealand team have additionally