Brett McKay and Harry Jones are back on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast after an enjoyable late-season break, and they’ve used their first pod in three weeks to catch up on one family holiday and several intriguing current rugby matters. Namely, how was Brett’s trip to Japan? How much of the famed 8/9 travel budget is left? (Spoiler: not much) How have the Stormers started the URC so well? How on earth did the URC Judicial process suspend Jan-Hendrik Wessels for so long with so little corroborating evidence? What is the Welsh equivalent of Suntory or Toshiba? And most importantly, how will these fascinating November Internationals impact 2027 RWC seedings? It's all in this week’s Ep. Make sure you hit Subscribe! #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #internationalrugby #NovemberTests #AutumnNationsSeries #SouthAfrica #NewZealand #Ireland #France #England #Argentina #Australia #Scotland #Fiji #Italy #Wales #Japan Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Weekend Post Mortem is back for whatever we're calling the end of year rugby internationals, and it's a special one, with Brett McKay timing the end of a family holiday to finish in Tokyo, and Geoff Parkes deputising for Harry Jones on The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. The Wallabies have started their northern tour with a win over Japan in Tokyo in front of Brett and the family, and a win is a win, so they say. It wasn't particularly convincing, and maybe that's not bad given Harry couldn't watch it and the rest of the rugby world had seemingly ignored the match. If a team wins a game in a forest and no-one saw it, is a win still a win? #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #NovemberTests #SpringTour #Japan #Wallabies #Tokyo Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the rugby world taking a little break in the international calendar, Brett & Harry have taken this little window to revisit some of their favourite episodes from The Rugby Championship. This week, a look back at the week following Australia’s historic win over South Africa in Johannesburg, with Riaan Louw joining the show to recall all the ways he and Harry were wrong about the Ellis Park clash as they sat amongst the crowd inside the great stadium. Equal parts awkward and hilarious. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the rugby world taking a little break in the international calendar, Brett & Harry have taken this little window to revisit some of their favourite episodes from The Rugby Championship. This week, a look back at our TRC Post-Mortem following the Wallabies famous – infamous, for some – victory over the Springboks at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, snapping a streak that went back more than 60 years, and which has so far proved to be a high point for Australia in 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Rugby Championship has been run and won for 2025, but the real question would seem to be has it been run and won forever? Rugby writer and author Geoff Parkes joined Brett McKay and Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to ponder that very question. And as a way to wrap up The Rugby Championship properly for 2025 (but maybe forever), Harry sat a couple of homework tasks before this week’s chat, namely: 1. Was that the last ever TRC? 2. If this was the last TRC, how will the TRC be recalled? 3. Who from each of the 4 teams whose TRC performance exceeded your expectations? And.. 4. When did each team look their best, and why they all had at least one shitty game. It all makes for a substantive, meaty, profound way to the conclude the TRC. Maybe forever. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #internationalrugby #Wallabies #TheRugbyChampionship, #Springboks, #AllBlacks, #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The All Blacks have swept the Bledisloe Cup series, and Brett McKay and Harry Jones pull it all apart in another TRC Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. A relatively even first half contest looked more comfortable than perhaps it was, courtesy of two late tries, before the Wallabies cruelled their own second half with silly mistakes, skill errors, and poor decision-making, leaving them and Australian fans to contemplate the what-ifs for yet another year. And because the WiFi gods worked against us, and we recorded several hour after both games, there’s a good wrap-up of what turned out to be a surprisingly close match between Los Pumas and the Springboks at Twickenham. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #WeekendPostMortem #InternationalRugby #TheRugbyChampionship #Wallabies #AllBlacks #Springboks #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s the final round of The 2025 Rugby Championship this weekend, with a couple of key southern hemisphere matches to be played in Perth and, er… London? Brett & Harry ask the key questions for TRC Rd.6. Can the Wallabies square the Bledisloe Cup series in Western Australia, and can Los Pumas possible bounce back against the Springboks at Twickenham? This week's key questions: Q1. Despite the Horror of Ellis Park, is this South Africa's Rugby Championship to lose? (reckon this is the headline) Q2. Where is Argentina's best chance of an upset? Q3. Who has fared better from Bledisloe injury toll? And is this Tane Edmed's opportunity to nail down no.10 for November? What do you think? We'd love to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the Bledisloe Cup decided for another year, but the return Test and The Rugby Championship still very much up in the air, Kiwi rugby journalist Jamie Wall joined Brett McKay and Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to dive deep into the fallout. While the result at Eden Park wasn’t so surprising last weekend, the way the All Blacks closed the game out, and the way the Wallabies simultaneously killed off their best Bledisloe chance in many a year went against recent form lines and expectations. While Australian fans are still raging about refereeing decision, New Zealanders are just happy they didn’t lose two games on the trot. The contrasts make for yet another Great Rugby Chat™. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #internationalrugby #Wallabies #TheRugbyChampionship, #Springboks, #AllBlacks, #LosPumas, #BledisloeCup Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The All Blacks have retained the Bledisloe Cup for another year, and Brett McKay and Harry Jones feel like the nine-point margin was about right on another TRC Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. New Zealand started sharply and looked ominous early on, before Australia swing momentum and reduced the halftime margin to just three points. After the break and in the end, it will be another case of Wallabies errors and missed opportunities to rue, with crucial mistakes killing off any chances of yet another famous comeback win. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #WeekendPostMortem #InternationalRugby #TheRugbyChampionship #Wallabies #AllBlacks #Springboks #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Global CEO of Rhino Rugby equipment Reg Clark joined Brett McKay and Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to get into the weeds about a rarely-thought, but crucial part of the modern game: the humble tackle bag. Rhino Rugby are perhaps the dominant player in the technical training equipment game, supplying so many national unions and the British & Irish Lions with crash pads, training aids, and scrum machines. In 2025, they’re also supplying South African rugby with their match balls, which are currently making their debut in The Rugby Championship. It’s a fascinating chat, you’ll discover something you didn’t know, we’re quite sure. Plus, Brett and Harry run the rule over Round 5 of the tightest TRC ever, which this weekend includes maybe the most highly anticipated Bledisloe Cup opener in years. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #internationalrugby #Wallabies #TheRugbyChampionship, #Springboks, #AllBlacks, #LosPumas, #RhinoRugby, #rugbytraining, #rugbyballs Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We keep saying The 2025 Rugby Championship is the tightest one yet, and so it remains after four rounds. Everyone has two wins and two losses. Everyone has won and lost at home, everyone has won and lost away. Brett & Harry ask the key questions in this TRC week off before we resume for Round 5 next weekend. But how will Australia and New Zealand bounce back after stinging losses? And how confident are Argentina and South Africa right now? This week's key questions: Q1. How deep is the Wallabies fallout from the Argentina loss in Sydney? Q2. Is it nearly as deep as the All Blacks fallout from the Boks loss in Wellington? Q3. Everyone has two wins + two losses. Who wins the TRC from here? What do you think? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Rugby Championship is officially nuts. After four rounds, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, amd Argentina all have four wins. Brett McKay and Harry Jones try to make sense of it all on another TRC Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. In Sydney, Los Pumas scored the two point-win they perhaps should have claimed a week ago, though Australia now lead the tournament courtesy of double bonus points in a loss and the worst forward pass miss in a long time. In Wellington, the Springboks handed the All Blacks a thumping that didn’t just eclipse their worst loss on home soil, they more than doubled it. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #WeekendPostMortem #InternationalRugby #TheRugbyChampionship #Wallabies #AllBlacks #Springboks #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If the 2025 Rugby Championship is the tightest one yet, Round 4 this weekend looms as the hardest to pick yet. Australia and Argentina have both rung the changes to their teams, forced and not, New Zealand appear to have beefed up their pack but snuck a debutant on the wing, and South Africa have named such a young side that Rassie may well be now operating two RWCs ahead. Brett & Harry ask the key questions ahead of this weekend’s 4th Round of TRC matches in Sydney and Wellington. Can Argentina bounce back from the heartbreak of Townsville? How much do South Africa have left to find a win in NZ? And could we finish the weekend with everyone on two wins? This week's key questions: Q1. If NZ were to be beaten, why would it happen? Q2. If OZ were upset, what’s likely reason? Q3. Of those two upsets, which likeliest in your opinion? What do you think? We'd love to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is officially the tightest Rugby Championship anyone can remember and former Argentinean centre Marcello Bosch joined Brett McKay and Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to flip a coin in an attempt to work out what happens this weekend in Round 4. Certainly, the rise of the Wallabies has helped, but the rise of Los Pumas cannot be ignored in that conversation. Marcello can’t be more impressed with the evolution of Argentina under Felipe Contepomi, and believes there’s no coincidence that the lift in form from both Argentina and Australia can be traced back to Irish influences on their respective coaches. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #internationalrugby #Wallabies #TheRugbyChampionship, #Springboks, #AllBlacks, #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Wallabies have found another comeback win and the All Blacks’ Eden Park fortress remains intact and impenetrable, as Brett McKay and Harry Jones delve into another TRC Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. In Townsville, the Wallabies came from 21-7 down at halftime, and turned down three penalty attempts after the final siren to find an 86th winner, to beat Argentina 28-24 in the north Queensland sunshine, while the All Blacks did everything right early to lead 14-0, holding on for dear life as South Africa threw everything at them in the second half to no avail, winning 24-17 in Auckland. Two proper Test Matches, make no mistake, and no guarantees for the return Round 4 next weekend. Features an Eden Park cameo from friend of the pod, Jamie Wall! #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #WeekendPostMortem #InternationalRugby #TheRugbyChampionship #Wallabies #AllBlacks #Springboks #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Queensland and Wallabies captain James Horwill joined Brett McKay and Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to ponder the tightest start to The Rugby Championship anyone can remember. The Wallabies, Los Pumas, All Blacks and Springboks all head into Round 3 of the TRC with one win apiece, and as we enter the second block of matches in Australia and New Zealand, it’s hard to pick which, if any team is ready to follow-up their service break with another win. Could we finish this block with everyone of two wins? It’s not out of the question at all. Plus, James offer some great insight upfront into rugby captaincy, and how he learned on the run, and how it’s already different now to when he finished playing. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #internationalrugby #Wallabies #TheRugbyChampionship, #Springboks, #AllBlacks, #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not too many people ride the Wallabies highs and lows quite like Sean Maloney, and the great Stan Sport/Nine Network Australian commentator joined Brett McKay and Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to relive all the extremes of the Wallabies opening to The Rugby Championship for 2025 in South Africa. The memorable Ellis Park win has completely shifted the narrative on the Wallabies, to the extent that the loss in Cape Town may have even enhanced it, for the way they were able to nullify the might of the Springboks at times. Wallabies fans will love this chat, but rugby fans in general will love this chat too, because at some point, we’ve been through what Australian rugby fans are currently experiencing. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #internationalrugby #Wallabies #TheRugbyChampionship, #Springboks, #AllBlacks, #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All is not well in Springbok Nation despite squaring the series with the Wallabies, as Brett McKay and Harry Jones delve into another TRC Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast, after South Africa accounted for Australia 30-22 at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town. Yes, the ‘Boks got the win, and yes, there was a reaction, but its level of convincingness will vary among the Springbok faithful. A Wallabies side besieged with injuries throughout the wet-weather contest on the Cape has kept South Africa to three tries while posting another three themselves, with the boot of Handre Pollard the main difference. In truth, the result will leave both teams walking away annoyed they didn’t convert more opportunities. Oh, and now it’s totally OK to sign autographs in the middle of a Post-Mortem recording! That actually happened! #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #WeekendPostMortem #InternationalRugby #TheRugbyChampionship #Wallabies #AllBlacks #Springboks #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Riaan Louw joins the 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast and the therapist is in! Riaan and Harry delved into all the ways they were wrong about the Bok-Wallabies game at Ellis Park last weekend, while Brett McKay just sat back and enjoyed it all. But that means there will be some degree of reaction in the return match in Cape Town, where Harry comes to you from, and where both South Africa and Australia have been forced into changes. Surely South Africa won’t lose two in a row at home, will they? Surely?! #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #internationalrugby #Wallabies #TheRugbyChampionship, #Springboks, #AllBlacks, #LosPumas Find us: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@8-9Combo?sub_confirmation=1 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1BcKhb24YOtwQhKc0S3sDm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-8-9-combo-rugby-podcast/id1729575866 Social media: #89Combo Twitter: https://twitter.com/89combo BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/89combo.bsky.social Find Brett and Harry on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport + @HaribaldiJones Music: "Stalling" by Topher Mohr & Alex Elena (via YouTube Creator Studio) Voiceovers by Chookman + Sean Maloney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Wallabies shock win over the Springboks at Ellis Park didn’t just break a 62-year drought, it’s completely thrown The Rugby Championship on its’ head for 2025. But it surely isn’t over already? Is it? Brett & Harry ask the key questions ahead of this weekend’s 2nd Round of TRC matches in Cape Town and Buenos Aires. What sort of reaction will we see from the South Africans? And can Argentina bounce back against New Zealand? This week's key questions: Q1. Is TRC already over; are we just pretending like in SRP? (Brett) Q2. Rassie’s public statements: right note? (Harry) Q3. Last week we thought NZ back row looked a bit weird - did it kind of work? (Brett) What do you think? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices