🔗 Share this article Will the New Zealand rugby team regain their magic in the upcoming matches? The All Blacks have won 71% of their matches during the current decade Aiming for what would be just a fifth 'Grand Slam' in their storied history, the New Zealand side have embarked on their tour at an pivotal moment. Matches against the Irish team, Scotland, England and Wales await the New Zealand team across the upcoming weeks but, in addition to the opportunity to match the teams of previous successful tours in the history books, the fixtures will be used as a yardstick to measure the improvement of the side under a leader now well established from beginning his tenure. Team Issues Questions over a shortage of an identifiable style, continuing controversies over selection and exits from the coaching ticket have all contributed to the sense that the best-known side in the game is presently one in a state of flux. Most significantly, it is the drop in outcomes from a historic high watermark set between the World Cups of 2011 and 2019 that has caused some to theorize that we have moved out of the period of New Zealand dominance. Past Performance Prior to their travel for the northern hemisphere, it was announced that during the following season, in the non-existence of the Rugby Championship, the All Blacks will play the Springboks in a summer series dubbed 'an unprecedented series'. Traditionally the game's two strongest sides, there is clear agreement over who has currently outperformed of what marketers have labeled 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'. Over the past seven years, the South African team have claimed a couple of World Cups, three southern hemisphere titles and a competition against the northern hemisphere selection to be viewed as the team of their generation. The All Blacks have persisted to defeat the Irish team when it is crucial, defeating their next challengers in the global competition of recent years. They have, meanwhile, been defeated in just a pair of the last fixtures with the English team, have defeated Wales in all matches since over sixty years ago and have never suffered defeat by Scotland. Evolving Landscape But the diminishment of their standing as the game's gold standard will remain frustrating. Whereas the All Blacks excelled through the previous decade - securing eighty-seven percent of their Test matches, as well as lifting the Webb Ellis on two occasions - the global tournament of 2019 can now be seen as when the balance of power moved in the world sport. New Zealand beat the Springboks in their opening match of the tournament in the host nation, but it was the South Africans who were finally victorious in the final. Since then, the New Zealand's success rate has dropped to 71%. South Africa themselves were defeated in 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, commencing of last year, have achieved victory at a frequency (eighty-three percent) to rival even the previous All Blacks side. The New Zealand team will play several games against the Springboks in 2026 Recent Encounters During the equivalent timeframe, the Springboks have won five of the seven meetings between the sides, featuring victory in the 2023 World Cup final. While securing their latest regional title, Rassie Erasmus' side delivered a significant beating on the New Zealand team through overwhelming display in Wellington, a result which has ignited another round of discussion concerning the development of the squad under their leader. Maybe most troubling for fans of the All Blacks will be that, alongside their traditional strength, South Africa's triumph has come with an attacking verve more usually associated with their own side. Team Identity During the period when the All Blacks were at the height of their capabilities 10 years ago, they were a ruthless counter-attacking unit able of shredding competitors from all areas of the playing surface and at any point of the game. Now, their attacking style is more ambiguous as their leader, who has awarded numerous first caps during his 24 months in charge, tries to primarily create the basic foundations of a winning team. It has recently revealed that the assistant coach in charge of offense, the current coach, will leave his role after the upcoming matches, becoming the second member of the coaching staff to exit after Leon MacDonald left last year after just five Tests. Team Development It was not merely previous achievements, but his style, that was anticipated to transfer from Crusaders when he took over after the recent tournament but, so far, the two aspects continue to be a continuous improvement. The team leader was selected as global player of the year in the previous season Commercial Considerations After investment group the company acquired shares in All Blacks in recent years, the following communication discussed the "quest of international expansion" for the organization. That objective has maybe been more difficult by the absence of a global icon. Ardie Savea and the collection of related players are still recognizable personalities in the rugby, but the concentration of talented players has become more diverse. Savea is the single New Zealand player to receive international honors in the recent years, in opposition to 10 in over a decade between 2005 and '07. Global Expansion Rather, attempts have been implemented to transplant the All Blacks into previously untapped markets. The first leg of this 'Grand Slam' tour brings the All Blacks not to the Irish capital but the American city, a return to the location where Ireland secured a first ever victory in the contest during past tours. Since the relaxation of Covid-19 travel restrictions, the All Blacks have furthermore