Episodes

  • Ep.79 – Which team can hold serve with James Horwill

    Ep.79 – Which team can hold serve with James Horwill
    Sep 4 2025
    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
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Ep.78 – Riding all the Wallabies ups & downs with Sean Maloney

    Ep.78 – Riding all the Wallabies ups & downs with Sean Maloney
    Aug 28 2025
    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
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • TRC Post-Mortem: Overconfidence turns to Underconfidence

    TRC Post-Mortem: Overconfidence turns to Underconfidence
    Aug 23 2025
    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
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    29 mins
  • Ep.77 – All the ways we were wrong at Ellis Park with Riaan Louw

    Ep.77 – All the ways we were wrong at Ellis Park with Riaan Louw
    Aug 22 2025
    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
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • the 8/9 Tap & Go: Is this year’s TRC already over?

    the 8/9 Tap & Go: Is this year’s TRC already over?
    Aug 19 2025
    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
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    13 mins
  • TRC Post-Mortem: This WASN’T supposed to happen!

    TRC Post-Mortem: This WASN’T supposed to happen!
    Aug 18 2025
    The Rugby Championship is underway for 2025, and Brett McKay and Harry Jones have fired up the TRC Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast, after the Wallabies shock 38-22 win over the Springboks at Ellis Park, Johannesburg. Australia’s first win in Jo’burg since the 1960s will rank as one of the biggest Test rugby upsets of the professional era, and certainly the most incredible Wallabies comeback. From 22-0 down after just 19 minutes, Australia piled on six tries and 38 unanswered points to record a stunning Bonus Point win to kick off The Rugby Championship, with the result leaving huge implications for World Rankings, and 2027 RWC seedings later this year. It's the most unexpected of wins. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Wallabies fans still aren’t sure if it did. #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
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    31 mins
  • the 8/9 Tap & Go: Have the other three teams created depth issues for themselves?

    the 8/9 Tap & Go: Have the other three teams created depth issues for themselves?
    Aug 15 2025
    The first weekend of The Rugby Championship is here, and Australia, Argentina, and New Zealand have finally named their teams, roughly 10 days after Rassie Erasmus dropped his South African selection. Brett & Harry ask the key questions going into this weekend’s all-important first round – with the Springboks hosting the Wallabies in Johannesburg, and Los Pumas hosting the All Blacks in Cordoba. This week's key questions: 1. Harry – Have the Wallabies created a problem for themselves if injury strikes at the worst time, with no backup 10 on the bench? 2. Brett – Montoya, Matera, Kremer, Mallia, Tetaz Chapparo, Petti, Gonzalez, Carreras, 500 caps between them - but is this one of the youngest Los Pumas teams we've seen in a TRC match? 3. Harry – Depth is an absolute necessity: has NZ built enough in the back five of the pack when inevitable injury strikes? 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
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    11 mins
  • Ep.76 – Applied like a blowtorch to your arse

    Ep.76 – Applied like a blowtorch to your arse
    Aug 14 2025
    All eyes on the TRC! With the British & Irish Lions 2025 Tour of Australia well and truly behind us, the international rugby world now turns to The Rugby Championship which begins this weekend, with Brett McKay & Harry Jones launching an 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast into the competition opener in Johannesburg. The world champion South Africans are unbackable favourites – despite anything Harry says – for another southern hemisphere title, and have picked a big, fast team to face Australia at Ellis Park. How will the Springboks open their account after a month off? How will the Wallabies lift from the Lions Series defeat? And how have Argentina ensured New Zealand will have a far from easy time in the second game in Córdoba? #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
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    1 hr and 5 mins