Seeking what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have traveled to Europe at an crucial period.
Fixtures against the Irish team, the Scottish side, the English squad and the Welsh team await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, quite aside from the possibility to match the teams of 1978, 2005, 2008 and 2010 in the annals of rugby, the games will be used as a measure to measure the development of the squad under a leader now well established from beginning his tenure.
Concerns over a shortage of an distinctive approach, enduring debates over player choices and departures from the management team have all contributed to the feeling that the most famous squad in the sport is now one in a state of flux.
Most pertinently, it is the drop in outcomes from a past excellence set between the global tournaments of the last decade that has caused some to suggest that we have evolved beyond of the age of All Black exceptionalism.
Before their travel for the northern hemisphere, it was confirmed that in the coming year, in the lack of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will play the Springboks in a warm-weather tour called 'an unprecedented series'.
Traditionally the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has lately dominated of what organizers have described 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'.
During the last decade, the Springboks have secured a two of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a tour against the home nations team to be regarded as the side of their era.
The All Blacks have continued to overcome the Irish team when it matters most, defeating their next challengers in the tournament knockout stages of the past two tournaments. They have, meanwhile, lost just a couple of the last fixtures with England, have beaten the Welsh side in each game since 1963 and have always been victorious by Scotland.
But the loss of their standing as the rugby's benchmark will remain frustrating.
Although the All Blacks reigned supreme through the last ten years - winning 87% of their Test matches, as well as claiming the global trophy on several instances - the World Cup of the previous competition can now be seen as when the balance of power changed in the world sport.
New Zealand overcame South Africa in their opening match of the competition in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were ultimately triumphant in the final.
After that event, the New Zealand's winning percentage has dropped to 71%. South Africa themselves lost 10 of their following games but, since the start of 2023, have achieved victory at a percentage (eighty-three percent) to compete with even the last great New Zealand team.
Over the same period, the 'Boks have secured victory in the majority of the past fixtures between the teams, comprising triumph in the 2023 World Cup final.
During their pursuit of their most recent continental championship, Rassie Erasmus' side inflicted a historic loss on the All Blacks through overwhelming display in Wellington, a outcome which has ignited another round of debate regarding the progress of the team under their leader.
Possibly most troubling for fans of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their usual power, the Springboks' triumph has come with an offensive flair more typically linked with their traditional rivals.
When the New Zealand team were at the height of their abilities a decade past, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit capable of dismantling competitors from any part of the playing surface and at all times of the contest.
Today, their playing philosophy is less defined as Robertson, who has handed out numerous first caps during his recent tenure in command, tries to primarily create the fundamental core elements of a winning team.
It has previously announced that the backroom staff member in charge of scoring, the current coach, will depart his position after the fall series, making him the next individual of the coaching staff to exit after another coach left last year after just limited matches.
It was not merely his winning record, but his methodology, that was predicted to translate from Crusaders when he assumed control after the global competition but, so far, each remain a continuous improvement.
After investment group the company invested capital in All Blacks in 2022, the ensuing statement spoke of the "pursuit of new global opportunities" for the team.
That task has maybe been harder by the shortage of a global icon. Their key player and the group of family members are still well-known figures in the rugby, but the distribution of key individuals has become more diverse. Savea is the single All Black to receive World Player of the Year in the past six seasons, in comparison to 10 in over a decade between the mid-2000s.
Instead, attempts 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 revisit to the Soldier Field venue where the Irish team secured a landmark success in the contest during past tours.
After the reduction of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have also
