🔗 Share this article Will the New Zealand rugby team regain their spark this autumn? The New Zealand team have secured victory in 71% of their matches during the 2020s Pursuing what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have headed north at an crucial period. Matches against the Irish team, the Scottish side, England and Wales await the All Blacks across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the opportunity to equal the teams of previous successful tours in the record books, the fixtures will be used as a measure to evaluate the progress of the squad under a head coach now two years on from assuming control. Current Challenges Questions over a shortage of an identifiable style, ongoing discussions over selection and departures from the management team have all added to the perception that the most recognisable team in the sport is presently one in a state of flux. Most significantly, it is the drop 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 age of All Black exceptionalism. Recent History Prior to their travel for the northern hemisphere, it was revealed that next year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will meet South Africa in a summer series dubbed 'an unprecedented series'. Historically the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has recently got the better of what organizers have described 'The Premier Rivalry'. During the last decade, the South African team have claimed a couple of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the British and Irish Lions to be regarded as the squad of their period. The All Blacks have maintained to beat the Irish team when it matters most, beating Saturday's opponents in the tournament knockout stages of 2019 and '23. They have, additionally, been defeated in just a pair of the last fixtures with England, have beaten Wales in all matches since 1963 and have remained unbeaten by Scotland. Evolving Landscape But the loss of their status 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 claiming the global trophy on multiple times - the World Cup of 2019 can now be regarded as when the balance of power shifted in the world sport. The All Blacks defeated the Springboks in their opening match of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were eventually successful in the final. Since then, the All Blacks' success rate has declined to 71%. The Springboks themselves were defeated in ten of their following games but, from the beginning of last year, have achieved victory at a frequency (eighty-three percent) to rival even the last great New Zealand team. The All Blacks will compete in multiple matches against the Springboks in the coming years Head-to-Head Throughout the comparable duration, the 'Boks have won five of the seven meetings between the opponents, comprising victory in the recent championship match. In claiming their latest regional title, the Springboks delivered a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team through dominant performance in the capital, a result which has sparked another series of controversy concerning the progress of the squad under their leader. Possibly most troubling for supporters of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their usual power, South Africa's achievement has come with an attacking verve more usually associated with their traditional rivals. Team Identity During the period when the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their abilities in previous eras, they were a clinical transition team capable of dismantling rivals from any part of the playing surface and at any moment of the contest. Currently, their attacking style is less defined as their leader, who has given numerous first caps during his two years in charge, tries to initially build the more prosaic building blocks of a successful side. It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member in charge of offense, the current coach, will depart his position after the autumn tour, making him the second member of Robertson's ticket to leave after another coach departed last year after just limited matches. Performance Gap It was not only Robertson's success, but his style, that was expected to carry over from his former team when he assumed control after the 2023 World Cup but, as yet, the two aspects remain a work in progress. The team leader was awarded global player of the year in 2023 Commercial Considerations After investment group Silver Lake bought a stake in All Blacks in 2022, the following communication discussed the "pursuit of worldwide growth" for the brand. That objective has maybe been more challenging by the lack of a international celebrity. The current captain and the collection of family members remain well-known figures in the rugby, but the spread of talented players has expanded significantly. Savea is the single All Black to receive international honors in the past six seasons, in contrast to ten awards in 13 years between the mid-2000s. Worldwide Reach Rather, efforts have been undertaken to establish the New Zealand team into previously untapped markets. The initial stage of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to Dublin but Chicago, a comeback to the location where Ireland achieved a first ever victory in the match nine years ago. Since the relaxation of health protocols, the New Zealand team have also