Can the New Zealand rugby team regain their winning form this autumn?

Pursuing what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their storied history, the New Zealand side have embarked on their tour at an crucial period.

Fixtures against the Irish team, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the All Blacks across the upcoming weeks but, beyond the chance to join the sides of previous successful tours in the history books, the games will be used as a measure to evaluate the progress of the squad under a manager now 24 months into from assuming control.

Current Challenges

Doubts over a lack of an clear playing identity, ongoing discussions over selection and departures from the coaching ticket have all fueled the feeling that the best-known side in the sport is now one in a time of change.

Most importantly, it is the drop in results from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of the last decade that has led some to theorize that we have transitioned away of the period of Kiwi superiority.

Recent History

Ahead of their travel for the northern hemisphere, it was revealed that during the following season, in the absence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will play the Springboks in a summer series called 'an unprecedented series'.

In the past the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has recently got the better of what promoters have called 'The Premier Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the South African team have secured a couple of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a competition against the home nations team to be considered as the squad of their era.

The All Blacks have persisted to defeat the Irish team when it is crucial, beating their next challengers in the World Cup quarter finals of recent years. They have, additionally, lost just two of the recent encounters with England, have overcome the Welsh side in each game since the sixties and have remained unbeaten by Scotland.

Changing Dynamics

But the decline of their position as the rugby's benchmark will persist as an irritation.

While the New Zealand team dominated through the previous decade - winning eighty-seven percent of their international games, as well as winning the global trophy on multiple times - the World Cup of 2019 can now be viewed as when the competitive landscape shifted in the world sport.

The All Blacks beat South Africa in their first game of the championship in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in Yokohama.

After that event, the New Zealand's success rate has dropped to seventy-one percent. South Africa themselves lost ten of their subsequent fixtures but, commencing of last year, have achieved victory at a rate (83%) to match even the previous All Blacks side.

Direct Competition

Throughout the same period, the South African team have won five of the past fixtures between the sides, including triumph in the latest global tournament decider.

During their pursuit of their latest regional title, the Springboks administered a significant beating on the New Zealand team courtesy of overwhelming display in Wellington, a outcome which has ignited another series of debate about the direction of the side under Robertson.

Maybe most concerning for supporters of the New Zealand team will be that, combined with their characteristic physicality, the Springboks' triumph has come with an attacking verve more typically linked with their opposition team.

Style Evolution

At the time that the New Zealand team were at the height of their powers a decade past, they were a devastating offensive machine capable of dismantling opponents from any part of the pitch and at any moment of the contest.

Today, their playing philosophy is unclear as the coach, who has handed out multiple new players during his recent tenure in control, tries to initially build the fundamental core elements of a competitive squad.

It has already been confirmed that the backroom staff member in charge of offense, the current coach, will depart his position after the fall series, becoming the next individual of Robertson's ticket to depart after previous staff member walked away last year after just a handful of games.

Team Development

It was not only Robertson's success, but his approach, that was predicted to translate from previous club when he began his tenure after the 2023 World Cup but, to date, each continue to be a ongoing development.

Organizational Strategy

After private equity firm Silver Lake invested capital in All Blacks in recent years, the following communication discussed the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the team.

That objective has maybe been harder by the absence of a global icon. Ardie Savea and the collection of related players remain well-known figures in the game, but the concentration of talented players has never been spread wider. Savea is the sole All Black to earn global recognition in the current era, in opposition to 10 in 13 years between previous generations.

Worldwide Reach

Rather, efforts have been made to transplant the All Blacks into new territories.

The first leg of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings New Zealand not to Dublin but Chicago, a comeback to the location where the Irish team obtained a landmark success in the match in previous seasons.

Since the easing of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the New Zealand team have also