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Seeking what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an interesting juncture.

Matches against the Irish team, Scotland, England and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the coming month but, beyond the chance to match the sides of previous successful tours in the record books, the matches will be used as a yardstick to measure the development of the squad under a manager now well established from taking up the reins.

Present Difficulties

Concerns over a shortage of an distinctive approach, continuing controversies over player choices and departures from the coaching ticket have all added to the sense that the best-known side in the rugby is currently one in a state of flux.

Most pertinently, it is the dip in results from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has caused some to suggest that we have evolved beyond of the period of New Zealand dominance.

Team Record

Before their travel for the northern hemisphere, it was confirmed that next year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face South Africa in a summer series called 'a tour like no other'.

In the past the sport's top competitors, there is clear agreement over who has recently got the better of what marketers have called 'The Premier Rivalry'.

Over the past seven years, the Springboks have won a two of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a series against the home nations team to be regarded as the side of their era.

New Zealand have persisted to overcome Ireland when it counts most, overcoming Saturday's opponents in the World Cup quarter finals of the past two tournaments. They have, at the same time, lost just a pair of the recent encounters with the English team, have defeated Wales in every encounter since the sixties and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Changing Dynamics

But the decline of their position as the game's gold standard will persist as an irritation.

Although the All Blacks excelled through the previous decade - winning 87% of their international games, as well as winning the global trophy on several instances - the global tournament of 2019 can now be seen as when the hierarchical structure moved in the international rugby.

New Zealand defeated South Africa in their opening match of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in Yokohama.

Since then, the New Zealand's success rate has declined to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves were defeated in 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, from the beginning of last year, have won at a frequency (eighty-three percent) to rival even the former Kiwi champions.

Head-to-Head

Throughout the comparable duration, the South African team have won five of the past fixtures between the sides, featuring victory in the recent championship match.

In claiming their most recent regional title, South Africa inflicted a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team courtesy of 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a score which has sparked another round of debate concerning the direction of the side under their leader.

Maybe most jarring for supporters of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their traditional strength, the Springboks' triumph has come with an attacking verve more commonly connected with their opposition team.

Playing Philosophy

During the period when the New Zealand team were at the height of their powers a decade past, they were a clinical transition team capable of shredding competitors from any part of the pitch and at any moment of the contest.

Today, their offensive approach is less defined as their leader, who has handed out numerous first caps during his 24 months in charge, tries to initially build the basic core elements of a successful side.

It has already been confirmed that the supporting manager in charge of scoring, Jason Holland, will leave his role after the fall series, becoming the next individual of the coaching staff to exit after another coach departed last year after just limited matches.

Team Development

It was not just previous achievements, but his style, that was anticipated to translate from previous club when he assumed control after the recent tournament but, to date, both are still a ongoing development.

Commercial Considerations

When financial organization investors invested capital in New Zealand rugby in the past, the following communication spoke of the "search of worldwide growth" for the organization.

That task has perhaps been harder by the lack of a crossover star. The current captain and the group of family members are still recognizable personalities in the sport, but the distribution of key individuals has become more diverse. Savea is the sole New Zealand player to receive global recognition in the past six seasons, in opposition to 10 in over a decade between 2005 and '07.

Global Expansion

Instead, attempts have been implemented to introduce the New Zealand team into previously untapped markets.

The opening phase of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings New Zealand not to Dublin but Chicago, a return to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team secured a historic win in the match in previous seasons.

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