Will the New Zealand rugby team find their spark during the fall tour?
Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their legendary past, the All Blacks have traveled to Europe at an interesting juncture.
Fixtures against Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales await the All Blacks across the next four weekends but, quite aside from the chance to equal the sides of previous successful tours in the history books, the matches will be used as a yardstick to assess the improvement of the side under a head coach now two years on from assuming control.
Present Difficulties
Doubts over a shortage of an distinctive approach, enduring debates over team picks and departures from the management team have all fueled the sense that the best-known side in the game is now one in a state of flux.
Most importantly, it is the dip in outcomes from a historic high watermark set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to speculate that we have evolved beyond of the era of All Black exceptionalism.
Recent History
Ahead of their journey for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that during the following season, in the absence of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will face the Springboks in a off-season matches termed 'a unique competition'.
In the past the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has currently outperformed of what marketers have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.
In recent seasons, the South African team have won a pair of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the British and Irish Lions to be regarded as the team of their period.
The All Blacks have maintained to defeat the Irish team when it is crucial, defeating this weekend's rivals in the tournament knockout stages of recent years. They have, additionally, lost just two of the last fixtures with the English team, have defeated the Welsh side in all matches since 1963 and have always been victorious by Scotland.
Evolving Landscape
But the loss of their position as the sport's measure of excellence will remain frustrating.
Although the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the last ten years - securing 87% of their Test matches, as well as claiming the Webb Ellis on two occasions - the global tournament of 2019 can now be viewed as when the competitive landscape shifted in the world sport.
The All Blacks overcame South Africa in their opening match of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the final.
Since then, the All Blacks' victory ratio has fallen to 71%. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, from the beginning of last year, have won at a rate (83%) to rival even the last great New Zealand team.
Recent Encounters
Over the same period, the 'Boks have secured victory in five of the recent encounters between the sides, comprising victory in the latest global tournament decider.
During their pursuit of their latest continental championship, Rassie Erasmus' side inflicted a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team through dominant performance in the capital, a score which has triggered another round of debate regarding the direction of the team under their leader.
Possibly most concerning for fans of the New Zealand team will be that, combined with their traditional strength, the Springboks' achievement has come with an attacking verve more commonly connected with their own side.
Team Identity
During the period when the All Blacks were at the peak of their capabilities a decade past, they were a clinical transition team able of destroying opponents from every section of the pitch and at all times of the match.
Today, their attacking style is unclear as the coach, who has given 19 debuts during his 24 months in charge, tries to first establish the fundamental foundations of a winning team.
It has previously announced that the supporting manager responsible for attack, their offensive coordinator, will leave his role after the autumn tour, becoming the additional person of management team to leave after Leon MacDonald walked away last year after just limited matches.
Team Development
It was not just Robertson's success, but his style, that was anticipated to transfer from Crusaders when he took over after the global competition but, to date, the two aspects continue to be a work in progress.
Organizational Strategy
Following financial organization Silver Lake bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in the past, the subsequent announcement mentioned the "pursuit of worldwide growth" for the brand.
That goal has perhaps been more challenging by the absence of a global icon. The current captain and the trio of related players continue to be recognizable personalities in the rugby, but the distribution of talented players has never been spread wider. Their leader is the single New Zealand player to earn global recognition in the recent years, in opposition to ten awards in 13 years between previous generations.
Worldwide Reach
Rather, initiatives have been implemented to introduce the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.
The opening phase of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a revisit to the location where the Irish team secured a landmark success in the contest during past tours.
Following the easing of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have furthermore
