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Aiming for what would be just a fifth tour victory in their illustrious legacy, the All Blacks have traveled to Europe at an pivotal moment.

Fixtures against the Irish team, Scotland, England and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the possibility to match the squads of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the record books, the games will be used as a yardstick to evaluate the improvement of the team under a leader now two years on from beginning his tenure.

Team Issues

Concerns over a absence of an identifiable style, enduring debates over team picks and departures from the coaching ticket have all contributed to the feeling that the most famous squad in the sport is currently one in a state of flux.

Most significantly, it is the decline in performances from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has prompted some to theorize that we have transitioned away of the era of New Zealand dominance.

Past Performance

Prior to their travel for the fall series, it was confirmed that during the following season, in the non-existence of the southern hemisphere competition, the All Blacks will meet the Springboks in a off-season matches called 'a unique competition'.

In the past the rugby's premier teams, there is no question over who has currently outperformed of what marketers have described 'The Ultimate Contest'.

Over the past seven years, the South African team have won a couple of global tournaments, three Rugby Championships and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be considered as the squad of their generation.

The All Blacks have maintained to overcome Ireland when it matters most, beating Saturday's opponents in the global competition of the past two tournaments. They have, meanwhile, lost just a pair of the last fixtures with England, have overcome Wales in all matches since 1963 and have never suffered defeat by the Scottish team.

Changing Dynamics

But the diminishment of their status as the sport's measure of excellence will persist as an irritation.

Although the All Blacks reigned supreme through the 2010s - securing 87% of their international games, as well as winning the Webb Ellis on several instances - the World Cup of 2019 can now be seen as when the competitive landscape moved in the international rugby.

The All Blacks defeated South Africa in their first game of the competition in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were ultimately triumphant in the final.

From that point, the New Zealand's victory ratio has declined to 71%. South Africa themselves lost ten of their subsequent fixtures but, since the start of last year, have won at a rate (eighty-three percent) to rival even the previous All Blacks side.

Direct Competition

Throughout the equivalent timeframe, the 'Boks have won five of the past fixtures between the opponents, including success in the recent championship match.

During their pursuit of their most recent continental championship, the Springboks delivered a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team through 36 unanswered second-half points in their home ground, a outcome which has sparked another round of controversy concerning the development of the squad under Robertson.

Maybe most jarring for followers of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their usual power, the Springboks' achievement has come with an creative approach more typically linked with their own side.

Playing Philosophy

At the time that the New Zealand team were at the height of their capabilities a decade past, they were a clinical transition team capable of shredding opponents from every section of the pitch and at all times of the contest.

Currently, their attacking style is more ambiguous as their leader, who has awarded 19 debuts during his recent tenure in charge, tries to first establish the more prosaic core elements of a successful side.

It has recently revealed that the supporting manager overseeing scoring, their offensive coordinator, will depart his position after the autumn tour, becoming the next individual of Robertson's ticket to leave after previous staff member walked away last year after just five Tests.

Performance Gap

It was not only his winning record, but his style, that was anticipated to translate from previous club when he took over after the global competition but, as yet, each remain a work in progress.

Organizational Strategy

After investment group the company bought a stake in All Blacks in the past, the subsequent announcement discussed the "quest of worldwide growth" for the team.

That goal has possibly been harder by the lack of a global icon. Ardie Savea and the collection of Barrett brothers continue to be household names in the sport, but the distribution of stars has become more diverse. The captain is the sole New Zealand player to earn international honors in the recent years, in comparison to ten awards in 13 years between the mid-2000s.

Global Expansion

Rather, efforts have been undertaken to establish the All Blacks into previously untapped markets.

The opening phase of this northern hemisphere series brings New Zealand not to the Irish capital but the American city, a return to the stadium where the Irish team secured a first ever victory in the fixture during past tours.

After the reduction of health protocols, the New Zealand team have furthermore