Ireland v New Zealand: Can All Blacks rediscover their spark this autumn?

Prior to their departure for the northern hemisphere, it was confirmed that next year, in the absence of the Rugby Championship, New Zealand will face South Africa in a summer series dubbed ‘a tour like no other’.

Historically the game’s two strongest sides, there is little doubt over who has recently got the better of what marketers have called ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’.

Over the past seven years, the Springboks have won a pair of World Cups, three Rugby Championships and a series against the British and Irish Lions to be considered the team of their era.

New Zealand have continued to beat Ireland when it matters most, overcoming Saturday’s opponents in the World Cup quarter finals of 2019 and ’23. They have, meanwhile, lost just two of the past 21 meetings with England, have beaten Wales in every encounter since 1963 and have never suffered defeat by Scotland.

But the loss of their status as the game’s gold standard will continue to rankle.

While the All Blacks dominated through the 2010s – winning 87% of their Test matches in the decade, as well as lifting the Webb Ellis on two occasions – the World Cup of 2019 can now be viewed as when the balance of power shifted in the global game.

New Zealand beat South Africa in their opening match of the tournament in Japan, but it was the Boks’ who were ultimately triumphant in Yokohama.

Since then, the All Blacks’ winning percentage has dropped to 71%. South Africa themselves lost 10 of their next 26 Test matches but, since the start of 2023, have won at a rate (83%) to rival even the last great New Zealand team.