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Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an interesting juncture.

Games against the Irish team, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the All Blacks across the upcoming weeks but, quite aside from the chance to match the sides of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the history books, the matches will be used as a yardstick to assess the development of the team under a manager now two years on from beginning his tenure.

Present Difficulties

Doubts over a absence of an distinctive approach, enduring debates over team picks and leavings from the backroom staff have all fueled the feeling that the most famous squad in the rugby is presently one in a period of transition.

Most importantly, it is the decline in results from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has led some to suggest that we have moved out of the period of New Zealand dominance.

Team Record

Before their journey for the northern hemisphere, it was revealed that during the following season, in the absence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face South Africa in a summer series dubbed '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 'The Ultimate Contest'.

In recent seasons, the Springboks have claimed a pair of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the home nations team to be regarded as the team of their period.

The All Blacks have maintained to defeat the Irish team when it counts most, beating Saturday's opponents in the tournament knockout stages of the past two tournaments. They have, at the same time, been defeated in just a pair of the recent encounters with England, have overcome the Welsh side in every encounter since the sixties and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Shifting Balance

But the diminishment of their position as the game's gold standard will continue to rankle.

While the All Blacks excelled through the last ten years - securing 87% of their international games, as well as lifting the World Cup on multiple times - the World Cup of the previous competition can now be viewed as when the balance of power shifted in the world sport.

The All Blacks beat South Africa in their opening match of the competition in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in the championship match.

From that point, the All Blacks' victory ratio has declined to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of last year, have won at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the last great New Zealand team.

Direct Competition

Throughout the equivalent timeframe, the South African team have won the majority of the past fixtures between the teams, featuring victory in the recent championship match.

In claiming their current regional title, South Africa inflicted a significant beating on the All Blacks through dominant performance in their home ground, a outcome which has sparked another series of controversy concerning the development of the team under their leader.

Perhaps most troubling for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, allied to their usual power, the Springboks' success has come with an creative approach more commonly connected with their traditional rivals.

Style Evolution

During the period when the All Blacks were at the height of their abilities a decade past, they were a devastating offensive machine able of dismantling rivals from any part of the pitch and at any moment of the match.

Currently, their attacking style is less defined as the coach, who has awarded 19 debuts during his 24 months in command, tries to primarily create the fundamental core elements of a competitive squad.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member in charge of scoring, Jason Holland, will exit the team after the fall series, making him the next individual of Robertson's ticket to depart after another coach left last year after just a handful of games.

Expectations vs Reality

It was not just his winning record, but his approach, that was expected to transfer from his former team when he took over after the recent tournament but, so far, the two aspects continue to be a work in progress.

Organizational Strategy

After financial organization Silver Lake bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in the past, the ensuing statement mentioned the "search of international expansion" for the team.

That goal has maybe been harder by the lack of a global icon. Their key player and the collection of Barrett brothers are still recognizable personalities in the sport, but the spread of stars has become more diverse. The captain is the only New Zealand player to win international honors in the current era, in contrast to 10 in 13 years between the mid-2000s.

Worldwide Reach

Rather, initiatives have been made to introduce the All Blacks into new territories.

The first leg of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but Chicago, a return to the location where Ireland obtained a landmark success in the fixture nine years ago.

Since the easing of health protocols, the New Zealand team have furthermore