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Aiming for what would be just a fifth tour victory in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have embarked on their tour at an interesting juncture.

Games against the Irish team, Scotland, the English squad and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, quite aside from the possibility to join the squads of previous successful tours in the annals of rugby, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to measure the improvement of the squad under a head coach now well established from assuming control.

Present Difficulties

Questions over a shortage of an clear playing identity, enduring debates over selection and departures from the coaching ticket have all contributed to the sense that the most famous squad in the rugby is currently one in a time of change.

Most importantly, it is the decline in outcomes from a previous peak set between the World Cups of the last decade that has led some to speculate that we have transitioned away of the period of Kiwi superiority.

Past Performance

Ahead of their journey 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 off-season matches termed 'a unique competition'.

In the past the sport's top competitors, there is no question over who has lately dominated of what marketers have labeled 'The Premier Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the South African team have secured a pair of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a competition against the home nations team to be viewed as the squad of their generation.

The All Blacks have maintained to beat the Irish team when it is crucial, defeating Saturday's opponents in the global competition of the past two tournaments. They have, additionally, been defeated in just a pair of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have beaten Wales in every encounter since 1963 and have always been victorious by Scotland.

Changing Dynamics

But the diminishment of their status as the game's gold standard will remain frustrating.

Whereas the All Blacks excelled through the 2010s - securing eighty-seven percent of their international games, as well as claiming the Webb Ellis on multiple times - the global tournament of 2019 can now be regarded as when the balance of power moved in the international rugby.

The All Blacks overcame the Springboks in their opening match of the tournament in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in Yokohama.

After that event, the New Zealand's victory ratio has fallen to 71%. The Springboks themselves were defeated in ten of their subsequent fixtures but, commencing of last year, have won at a rate (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

Over the same period, the Springboks have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the sides, including victory in the recent championship match.

During their pursuit of their latest southern hemisphere crown, the Springboks inflicted a historic loss on the All Blacks courtesy of 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a outcome which has triggered another round of debate about the progress of the side under the coach.

Perhaps most concerning for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, alongside their traditional strength, South Africa's achievement has come with an attacking verve more usually associated with their opposition team.

Team Identity

At the time that the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their abilities in previous eras, they were a clinical transition team equipped of shredding opponents from every section of the pitch and at any moment of the game.

Currently, their offensive approach is less defined as the coach, who has awarded numerous first caps during his recent tenure in charge, tries to initially build the more prosaic core elements of a winning team.

It has recently revealed that the assistant coach responsible for offense, the current coach, will exit the team after the fall series, becoming the second member of Robertson's ticket to leave after previous staff member departed last year after just five Tests.

Performance Gap

It was not only Robertson's success, but his style, that was expected to transfer from his former team when he assumed control after the global competition but, so far, each remain a ongoing development.

Business Factors

When investment group the company invested capital in New Zealand rugby in recent years, the following communication mentioned the "pursuit of international expansion" for the team.

That objective has maybe been more difficult by the absence of a crossover star. The current captain and the collection of Barrett brothers continue to be well-known figures in the rugby, but the distribution of stars has never been spread wider. The captain is the only All Black to receive global recognition in the current era, in opposition to ten awards in multiple seasons between previous generations.

Global Expansion

Alternatively, efforts have been undertaken to transplant the New Zealand team into emerging regions.

The opening phase of this European campaign brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a comeback to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team obtained a first ever victory in the contest in previous seasons.

After the reduction of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have also