🔗 Share this article Will the All Blacks rediscover their winning form this autumn? The All Blacks have won 71% of their games during the 2020s Pursuing what would be just a fifth northern hemisphere clean sweep in their legendary past, the New Zealand side have embarked on their tour at an crucial period. Fixtures against the Irish team, the Scottish side, England and Wales await the All Blacks across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the opportunity to match the teams of previous successful tours in the record books, the games will be used as a yardstick to assess the development of the squad under a manager now 24 months into from assuming control. Team Issues Concerns over a lack of an clear playing identity, continuing controversies over selection and leavings from the coaching ticket have all fueled the feeling that the best-known side in the sport is now one in a period of transition. Most pertinently, it is the dip in performances from a historic high watermark set between the global tournaments of 2011 and 2019 that has led some to speculate that we have transitioned away of the age of All Black exceptionalism. Team Record Prior to their departure for the fall series, it was announced that next year, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face the Springboks in a summer series called 'an unprecedented series'. Historically the sport's top competitors, there is clear agreement over who has recently got the better of what promoters have called 'The Premier Rivalry'. During the last decade, the Springboks have secured a two of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a series against the northern hemisphere selection to be regarded as the squad of their generation. New Zealand have persisted to defeat Ireland when it matters most, beating Saturday's opponents in the global competition of the past two tournaments. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just a pair of the past 21 meetings with England, have overcome the Welsh side in all matches since over sixty years ago and have never suffered defeat by Scotland. Evolving Landscape But the loss of their status as the rugby's benchmark will persist as an irritation. Although the New Zealand team reigned supreme through the 2010s - achieving 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 hierarchical structure shifted in the global game. The All Blacks defeated the Springboks in their first game of the competition in the host nation, but it was the Boks' who were finally victorious in Yokohama. From that point, the All Blacks' winning percentage has dropped to seventy-one percent. The Springboks themselves lost 10 of their subsequent fixtures but, from the beginning of 2023, have won at a rate (83%) to match even the last great New Zealand team. The New Zealand team will compete in four Tests against the Springboks in 2026 Recent Encounters Over the equivalent timeframe, the South African team have won the majority of the recent encounters between the sides, featuring triumph in the recent championship match. While securing their current continental championship, South Africa administered a record 43-10 defeat on the New Zealand team courtesy of dominant performance in Wellington, a result which has triggered another series of controversy concerning the direction of the side under the coach. Possibly most jarring for fans of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their characteristic physicality, the Springboks' triumph has come with an creative approach more typically linked with their own side. Team Identity When the New Zealand team were at the height of their powers a decade past, they were a clinical transition team able of dismantling rivals from all areas of the pitch and at any point of the contest. Today, their offensive approach is unclear as their leader, who has awarded 19 debuts during his two years in control, tries to initially build the fundamental foundations of a competitive squad. It has already been confirmed that the supporting manager overseeing attack, their offensive coordinator, will leave his role after the autumn tour, becoming the additional person of Robertson's ticket to exit after another coach left last year after just a handful of games. Expectations vs Reality It was not just Robertson's success, but his methodology, that was anticipated to carry over from Crusaders when he took over after the recent tournament but, to date, both remain a work in progress. Ardie Savea was named global player of the year in 2023 Commercial Considerations After private equity firm the company bought a stake in New Zealand rugby in recent years, the following communication discussed the "pursuit of worldwide growth" for the organization. That task has possibly been harder by the absence of a international celebrity. The current captain and the collection of Barrett brothers remain recognizable personalities in the game, but the spread of talented players has become more diverse. Their leader is the only All Black to earn international honors in the past six seasons, in contrast to 10 in 13 years between 2005 and '07. Global Expansion Instead, efforts have been implemented to introduce the All Blacks into new territories. The initial stage of this northern hemisphere series brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a comeback to the location where Ireland achieved a first ever victory in the match nine years ago. After the relaxation of pandemic limitations, the New Zealand team have additionally