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Aiming for what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have headed north at an crucial period.

Games against Ireland, Scotland, the English squad and Wales await the All Blacks across the next four weekends but, in addition to the possibility to equal the teams of previous successful tours in the record books, the matches will be used as a yardstick to assess the development of the team under a leader now 24 months into from beginning his tenure.

Current Challenges

Questions over a lack of an identifiable style, ongoing discussions over selection and departures from the backroom staff have all fueled the sense that the most recognisable team in the game is currently one in a period of transition.

Most pertinently, it is the drop in performances from a previous peak set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has caused some to suggest that we have transitioned away of the age of Kiwi superiority.

Team Record

Prior to their departure for the European tour, it was confirmed that during the following season, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will play South Africa in a summer series called 'a unique competition'.

Historically the game's two strongest sides, there is little doubt over who has lately dominated of what promoters have labeled 'The Ultimate Contest'.

Over the past seven years, the Springboks have claimed a two of global tournaments, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the British and Irish Lions to be viewed as the team of their era.

New Zealand have persisted to overcome Ireland when it matters most, overcoming their next challengers in the global competition of recent years. They have, at the same time, lost just a couple of the past 21 meetings with the English team, have overcome the Welsh side in each game since 1963 and have remained unbeaten by the Scottish team.

Evolving Landscape

But the decline 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 - winning eighty-seven percent of their fixtures, as well as claiming the World Cup on two occasions - the global tournament of the previous competition can now be regarded as when the balance of power moved in the world sport.

New Zealand overcame South Africa in their initial fixture of the championship in Japan, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the final.

Since then, the New Zealand's winning percentage has dropped to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves lost ten of their next 26 Test matches but, since the start of last year, have achieved victory at a rate (eighty-three percent) to match even the previous All Blacks side.

Head-to-Head

Throughout the comparable duration, the 'Boks have won five of the seven meetings between the sides, featuring success in the recent championship match.

In claiming their latest continental championship, South Africa administered a significant beating on the All Blacks through dominant performance in their home ground, a score which has ignited another wave of discussion regarding the progress of the squad under Robertson.

Possibly most troubling for supporters of the All Blacks will be that, allied to their traditional strength, South Africa's triumph has come with an creative approach more typically linked with their opposition team.

Team Identity

During the period when the All Blacks were at the peak of their abilities a decade past, they were a clinical transition team able of destroying competitors from every section of the field and at all times of the game.

Now, their attacking style is less defined as Robertson, who has handed out 19 debuts during his two years in charge, tries to first establish the basic foundations of a competitive squad.

It has recently revealed that the supporting manager responsible for scoring, the current coach, will exit the team after the autumn tour, making him the second member of the coaching staff to depart after Leon MacDonald departed last year after just limited matches.

Performance Gap

It was not merely Robertson's success, but his approach, that was expected to carry over from his former team when he took over after the global competition but, so far, both remain a ongoing development.

Commercial Considerations

When private equity firm investors invested capital in New Zealand rugby in recent years, the subsequent announcement spoke of the "pursuit of international expansion" for the brand.

That objective has perhaps been more difficult by the absence of a crossover star. Their key player and the trio of Barrett brothers continue to be household names in the game, but the spread of key individuals has expanded significantly. Their leader is the sole New Zealand player to win World Player of the Year in the current era, in opposition to ten awards in over a decade between the mid-2000s.

International Growth

Rather, initiatives have been made to introduce the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.

The initial stage of this European campaign brings New Zealand not to Dublin but Chicago, a comeback to the stadium where Ireland achieved a landmark success in the match during past tours.

Following the reduction of health protocols, the New Zealand team have additionally