Episodes

  • Weekend Post-Mortem: Obsessive selfishness on display in Adelaide + Wellington

    Weekend Post-Mortem: Obsessive selfishness on display in Adelaide + Wellington
    Jul 13 2025
    Big scores and statement wins were all the rage, as Brett McKay and Harry Jones pull apart another big weekend of July Internationals on the Weekend Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. The AUNZ XV offered throwback jerseys but not much else to the British & Irish Lions in Adelaide, the All Blacks delivered the obsessive, emphatic result over France the pundits so desperately wanted a week earlier to prove their point, the Springboks were at the innovative best in dispatching Italy, and England completed the two-game sweep of Argentina. Plus, Wales have won a Test Match! #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #WeekendPostMortem #InternationalRugby #LionsTour #Wallabies #AllBlacks #Springboks #Argentina #England #Italy #France #Wales #BritishIrishLions 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
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    36 mins
  • Ep.71 – Brumbies give the Lions a headache with Pat McCarry

    Ep.71 – Brumbies give the Lions a headache with Pat McCarry
    Jul 10 2025
    The ACT Brumbies gave the British & Irish Lions their sternest test on tour, but how many questions have they answered for Joe Schmidt? Irish Sportswriter, Producer and Playwright Pat McCarry joined Brett McKay & Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast this week for the pulse check on the Lions, little more than a week from the First Test in Brisbane. Which Lions enhanced their chances in the 36-24 win? How close was that Lions side to the First Test team? And role will the AUNZ Invitational XV game in Adelaide this weekend play, almost certainly pitting the Lions’ non-Test players up against an intriguing collection of Australian and New Zealand players – the first time a combined trans-Tasman team has played since 1989. Games of the Week – it’s all International from here! • New Zealand v France, Wellington • AUNZ Invitational XV v British & Irish Lions, Adelaide • South Africa v Italy, Gqberha • Argentina v England, San Juan #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #British&IrishLions #Lions2025 #internationalrugby #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
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Weekend Post-Mortem: Wallabies survive Fiji + Did Harry fire up the Waratahs?

    Weekend Post-Mortem: Wallabies survive Fiji + Did Harry fire up the Waratahs?
    Jul 6 2025
    ‘Twas a weekend of just scraping through, as Brett McKay and Harry Jones pull apart the first full weekend of July Internationals on the Weekend Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. The Wallabies needed 79 minutes to beat Fiji, the Lions saved their worst performance on Tour for a Waratahs Harry and most other writers has written off, a French 3rd XV described as ‘disrespectful’ pushed the All Blacks way further than the narrative suggested, and even South Africa were left to lament a mostly “frustrating” performance in beating Italy. Plus, hear direct from the Waratahs on how Harry fired them up to face the Lions in Sydney. He definitely hit a nerve! #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #WeekendPostMortem #InternationalRugby #LionsTour #Wallabies #AllBlacks #Springboks #Argentina #England #Italy #France #Fiji #BritishIrishLions 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
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    46 mins
  • Ep.70 – When you're gassed, you can't think with Ben Darwin

    Ep.70 – When you're gassed, you can't think with Ben Darwin
    Jul 3 2025
    The British & Irish Lions on tour present the ultimate test of talent v cohesion. Gain Line Analytics know an awful lot about cohesion and how teams benefit from it, and co-founder and former Wallabies prop Ben Darwin joined Brett McKay & Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast this week to get into the nuts and bolts of it. So how do the Lions build the cohesion they need? And which positions can be most affected by a lack of cohesion? And what is the best way for the Wallabies to overcome the very abundant levels of experience overflowing from whatever XV the Lions name for the Tests? It’s a great chat, we hope you get lots out of it. Games of the Week – it’s all International from here! • New Zealand v France, Dunedin • South Africa v Italy, Pretoria • Argentina v England, La Plata • Australia v Fiji, Newcastle #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #British&IrishLions #Lions2025 #internationalrugby #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
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    1 hr and 17 mins
  • Weekend Post-Mortem: Lions survive willing contest and terrible fontage

    Weekend Post-Mortem: Lions survive willing contest and terrible fontage
    Jun 29 2025
    The British & Irish Lions Tour of Australia in 2025 in finally underway, as Brett McKay and Harry Jones rip into the first Lions Tour edition of the Weekend Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. The Western Force asked plenty of questions of the Lions for as long as they could in Perth, before the tourists’ class and experience rose to the top, sealing the 54-7 eight tries to one win to open their Australian tour with a win. Plenty of really good performers amongst then: Dan Sheehan, Joe McCarthy, ‘bellend-issimo’ Henry Pollock, Tomos Williams, and the unflappable Finn Russell. Darcy Swain from the Force did his chances of a Wallabies recall no harm, too. Plus, the French Top 14 and US Major League Rugby Champions have been crowned as well, and the Springboks raised the bat against the travelling Barbarians in Cape Town. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #SuperRugbyPacific #UnitedRugbyChampionship #Premiership #Top14 #JapanRugbyLeagueOne #MajorLeagueRugby #LionsTour 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
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    47 mins
  • Ep.69 – Super Rugby wrap-up… then Lions LIONS! with Geoff Parkes

    Ep.69 – Super Rugby wrap-up… then Lions LIONS! with Geoff Parkes
    Jun 26 2025
    Acclaimed crime and rugby author and notable weekly columnist Geoff Parkes joined Brett McKay & Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast (briefly) to wrap up the Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final, where the Crusaders proved way too strong for the Chiefs in Christchurch. And Geoff was supposed to join the 8/9 as we slip firmly into Lions Tour mode, too, only for a network outage in New Zealand to rule him out of what still was an interesting discussion, as Brett & Harry turn their attention to the 2025 Briish & Irish Lions Tour of Australia, which begins this weekend in Perth. Plus, it’s the long awaited Top 14 Finale in France, and it’s the Championship Final in Major League Rugby in the States. Games of the Week: Top 14 Finale: Toulouse v Bordeaux; Stade de France, Paris MLR Final: New England v Houston, Rhode Island International Rugby! • Japan XV v Maori All Blacks, Tokyo • Western Force v British & Irish Lions, Perth • South Africa v Barbarians, Cape Town #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #SuperRugbyPacific #URC #Premiership #Top14 #JapanRugbyLeagueOne #MajorLeagueRugby 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
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Weekend Post-Mortem: Those dastardly Crusaders win again + the French finale will have mermaids?

    Weekend Post-Mortem: Those dastardly Crusaders win again + the French finale will have mermaids?
    Jun 22 2025
    Already large trophy cabinets in Christchurch are now overflowing and the 2025 Lions Tour is officially underway! Brett McKay and Harry Jones rip into another Grand Final edition of the Weekend Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. The British & Irish Lions got off to a rocky start with a 28-24 loss to an Argentinean team thrown together in the same timeframe, the Crusaders have won yet another bloody Super Rugby Pacific title with a performance more dominant than the scoreboard showed, and the longest season in France has finally delivered the Finale we all had pencilled in from the start Plus, the Major League Rugby Conference Champions have been crowned in the States. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #SuperRugbyPacific #UnitedRugbyChampionship #Premiership #Top14 #JapanRugbyLeagueOne #MajorLeagueRugby 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
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    39 mins
  • Ep.68 – Chiefs v the ominous Weight of History with Tony Johnson

    Ep.68 – Chiefs v the ominous Weight of History with Tony Johnson
    Jun 18 2025
    Legendary New Zealand commentator Tony Johnson joins Brett McKay & Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to contemplate the clash of styles, the different journeys, and the mouthwatering contest that awaits the Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final, where the Crusaders host the Chiefs in Christchurch. The Chiefs will be determined to kick the perennial ‘bridesmaid’ tag in their third straight decider, while the Crusaders will not want to be the team that undoes their incredible 31-game unbeaten streak in finals matches played in the Garden City. Plus, it’s also the Demi-Finales of the Top 14 in France, and it’s the Conference Finals weekend in Major League Rugby in the States. Games of the Week: Super Rugby Pacific Final: Crusaders v Chiefs, Christchurch Top 14 Demi-Finales: • Toulouse v Bayonne, Toulouse • Bordeaux v Toulon, Bordeaux MLR Conference Finals • EAST: New England v Chicago, Quincy MA • WEST: Utah v Houston, Salt Lake City #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #SuperRugbyPacific #URC #Premiership #Top14 #JapanRugbyLeagueOne #MajorLeagueRugby #TonyJohnson 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
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    1 hr and 10 mins