🔗 Share this article

Aiming for what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their storied history, the New Zealand side have embarked on their tour at an interesting juncture.

Matches against Ireland, the Scottish side, England and the Welsh team await the All Blacks across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the possibility to join the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to assess the improvement of the side under a head coach now two years on from taking up the reins.

Present Difficulties

Concerns over a absence of an distinctive approach, continuing controversies over selection and leavings from the coaching ticket have all fueled the perception that the best-known side in the rugby is currently one in a period of transition.

Most significantly, it is the dip in results from a past excellence set between the World Cups of the last decade that has caused some to speculate that we have moved out of the era of Kiwi superiority.

Recent History

Before their journey for the fall series, it was confirmed that next year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will meet the Springboks in a warm-weather tour termed 'an unprecedented series'.

Historically the game's two strongest sides, there is little doubt over who has lately dominated of what marketers have described 'The Premier Rivalry'.

During the last decade, the South African team have secured a two of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a competition against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the team of their period.

New Zealand have persisted to defeat Ireland when it is crucial, overcoming their next challengers in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and '23. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just a pair of the past 21 meetings with England, have beaten Wales in all matches since 1963 and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.

Changing Dynamics

But the decline of their standing as the sport's measure of excellence will remain frustrating.

While the New Zealand team excelled through the last ten years - winning eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as lifting the global trophy on multiple times - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be regarded as when the hierarchical structure moved in the international rugby.

New Zealand overcame the Springboks in their first game of the tournament in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were eventually successful in the championship match.

Since then, the All Blacks' success rate has fallen to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their next 26 Test matches but, since the start of 2023, have won at a rate (83%) to match even the former Kiwi champions.

Head-to-Head

During the equivalent timeframe, the South African team have won five of the seven meetings between the sides, comprising triumph in the 2023 World Cup final.

While securing their current regional title, South Africa administered a historic loss on the All Blacks through overwhelming display in their home ground, a score which has ignited another round of controversy regarding the progress of the team under the coach.

Perhaps most concerning for followers of the All Blacks will be that, combined with their traditional strength, South Africa's triumph has come with an creative approach more commonly connected with their opposition team.

Playing Philosophy

At the time that the New Zealand team were at the zenith of their capabilities in previous eras, they were a devastating offensive machine equipped of dismantling opponents from all areas of the field and at any point of the contest.

Today, their playing philosophy is less defined as their leader, who has handed out multiple new players during his two years in charge, tries to initially build the more prosaic core elements of a successful side.

It has already been confirmed that the assistant coach responsible for scoring, Jason Holland, will leave his role after the autumn tour, making him the next individual of Robertson's ticket to exit after previous staff member walked away last year after just limited matches.

Team Development

It was not merely Robertson's success, but his style, that was predicted to translate from previous club when he began his tenure after the 2023 World Cup but, so far, the two aspects are still a work in progress.

Organizational Strategy

Following private equity firm the company bought a stake in All Blacks in 2022, the ensuing statement spoke of the "quest of worldwide growth" for the team.

That objective has maybe been more challenging by the absence of a global icon. Ardie Savea and the collection of Barrett brothers continue to be household names in the rugby, but the spread of stars has never been spread wider. Their leader is the only New Zealand player to earn global recognition in the recent years, in comparison to 10 in over a decade between previous generations.

International Growth

Rather, initiatives have been undertaken to transplant the All Blacks into new territories.

The opening phase of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a comeback to the location where Ireland obtained a first ever victory in the contest during past tours.

After the reduction of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have furthermore