Can the All Blacks find their spark this autumn?
Aiming for what would be just a fifth tour victory in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an interesting juncture.
Fixtures against Ireland, the Scottish side, England and Wales await the New Zealand team across the next four weekends but, quite aside from the chance to join the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the record books, the matches will be used as a benchmark to assess the progress of the squad under a manager now 24 months into from assuming control.
Current Challenges
Doubts over a lack of an distinctive approach, enduring debates over team picks and exits from the coaching ticket have all fueled the feeling that the best-known side in the rugby is now one in a period of transition.
Most importantly, it is the dip in performances from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has led some to suggest that we have transitioned away of the age of New Zealand dominance.
Past Performance
Prior to their travel for the fall series, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the lack of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will meet South Africa in a warm-weather tour termed 'a tour like no other'.
Historically the game's two strongest sides, there is little doubt over who has recently got the better of what promoters have called 'The Ultimate Contest'.
Over the past seven years, the South African team have won a couple of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a tour against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the squad of their era.
New Zealand have continued to beat Ireland when it matters most, overcoming Saturday's opponents in the global competition of 2019 and '23. They have, at the same time, lost just two of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have beaten the Welsh side in all matches since over sixty years ago and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.
Changing Dynamics
But the diminishment of their position as the rugby's benchmark will remain frustrating.
Whereas the All Blacks dominated through the 2010s - securing 87% of their Test matches, as well as claiming the World Cup on two occasions - the global tournament of 2019 can now be regarded as when the balance of power changed in the international rugby.
New Zealand defeated South Africa in their initial fixture of the competition in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the final.
After that event, the New Zealand's winning percentage has declined to seventy-one percent. South Africa themselves were defeated in ten of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of last year, have won at a frequency (83%) to match even the last great New Zealand team.
Direct Competition
Throughout the same period, the Springboks have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the teams, comprising victory in the latest global tournament decider.
During their pursuit of their latest southern hemisphere crown, South Africa delivered a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team thanks to 36 unanswered second-half points in Wellington, a result which has triggered another series of debate concerning the progress of the squad under Robertson.
Maybe most concerning for supporters of the All Blacks will be that, combined with their usual power, the Springboks' triumph has come with an creative approach more commonly connected with their own side.
Style Evolution
When the All Blacks were at the height of their powers a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit capable of dismantling opponents from every section of the playing surface and at any point of the contest.
Currently, their attacking style is unclear as the coach, who has handed out multiple new players during his two years in command, tries to first establish the fundamental core elements of a successful side.
It has previously announced that the assistant coach overseeing offense, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the fall series, becoming the next individual of the coaching staff to exit after Leon MacDonald walked away last year after just five Tests.
Expectations vs Reality
It was not just his winning record, but his approach, that was expected to translate from his former team when he took over after the global competition but, as yet, both continue to be a continuous improvement.
Business Factors
When investment group Silver Lake invested capital in All Blacks in 2022, the ensuing statement discussed the "search of international expansion" for the brand.
That task has maybe been more challenging by the lack of a crossover star. Their key player and the collection of Barrett brothers are still household names in the sport, but the concentration of key individuals has expanded significantly. Their leader is the single All Black to earn World Player of the Year in the recent years, in comparison to ten awards in over a decade between previous generations.
International Growth
Alternatively, attempts have been undertaken to establish the New Zealand team into new territories.
The first leg of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to Dublin but Chicago, a comeback to the location where Ireland obtained a first ever victory in the fixture nine years ago.
Following the reduction of health protocols, the New Zealand team have furthermore