New Zealand broadcaster and host of the popular DSPN podcast Martin Devlin joins Brett McKay on the AUS Rugby scene this week, to look ahead at the return of Super Round after a wild Round 10 last weekend.

A round that had everything saw Moana Pasifika put up way more fight than expected, we had the first edition of extra time for the season in Hamilton, the Fijian Drua enjoyed a first away win in Australia, and the Western Force claimed another scalp.

That puts all eyes onto the return of Super Round in Christchurch, and their brand new, magnificent stadium just blocks from the city centre. And imagine this: the NSW Waratahs causing a massive boilover to kick it all off, beating the Crusaders to return to the top six. Just imagine it.

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Find the DSPN on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@DevlinSportsPodcastNetwork, and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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New Zealand rugby commentator Elliott Smith joins Brett McKay on the AUS Rugby scene this week, with news of Moana Pasifika’s demise dominating all discussion around the competition.

Please note, Moana Pasifika confirmed their intentions to disband at the conclusion of the 2026 season soon after this episode was recorded, and before it was released, but the concerns expressed and thoughts on the way forward remain valid. This does feel like a tipping point for Super Rugby Pacific, and it’s inherent on Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby that all options are not properly explored for the competition to regain lost ground.

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Find Elliott hosting the Rugby Direct podcast, along with Liam Napier wherever you get your podcasts.

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Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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Charlie Morgan from The Times joined Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby this week, to wrap up a truly intriguing weekend of Champions Cup Quarter Finals action across Europe, and setting up a couple of spicy Semi Finals in early May.

The four matches were all gripping in their own right, and gripping for different reasons, as clashes of style and pace met head-on to find out who advances. And the Semis are set up beautifully, with representation from the URC, the Premiership and the Top 14, and probably most of who everyone expected to be there. Includes a quick wrap of the Challenge Cup QFs too, with those Semis almost certainly not including who most expected to be there.

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Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and on Instagram, too

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Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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New Zealand rugby writer and fellow Substacker Jamie Wall joins Brett McKay on the AUS Rugby scene this week, with the curiosities of a short round over a long weekend quickly fading with the arrival of some stonking contests this weekend.

If Round 8 felt a bit one-sided, Round 9 will be anything but, with at least three games looming as genuine coin-flip contests. Are the Drua still so invincible at home? What money a golden point draw between the ‘Canes and Blues? And surely the Reds have to bounce back, right? Good luck tipsters…

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Find Jamie’s new Substack page: https://jamiewallrugby.substack.com/

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Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

 Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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Irish rugby writer and podcaster Caolán Scully joined Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby this week, to dig deep into a big first weekend of Champions Cup knockout stages.

The eight Round of 16 games saw some blowouts and high-scoring games as it often does, but throughout the weekend there were some fantastic contests and results that probably don’t do what we saw on the field justice. And importantly, it’s left rugby fans with four properly mouth-watering Quarter Finals this weekend coming.

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Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and on Instagram, too

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Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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The great NZ commentator Tony Johnson joins Brett McKay on the AUS Rugby scene this week, for a timely perspective from over the ditch on Super Rugby Pacific and the view on the Australian teams in 2026.

With a short round this Easter long weekend – which definitely does feel like a missed opportunity – there’s a couple of really interesting Round 8 games of importance for a few teams and for a few reasons. But clearly, there’s also been a great joy in the rugby we’ve seen played, and that will follow on the run to the finals now that we’re over the hump.

#rugbypodcast #89Rugby #SuperRugbyPacific

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Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and on Instagram, too

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Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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Riaan Louw, friend of the pod and star of the Rugby Update on YouTube is back with Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby this week, because it’s time to get excited about the Champions Cup again.

With the Round of 16 this weekend, and the Quarter Finals to follow next weekend, the Champions Cup has finally reached the point where many a rugby pundit and fan believe it should just start. 16 Teams, straight knockout, bing-bang-bosh, done in half the time.

But we have what we have, and thus Riaan and Brett work through the four pools to recall who did what back in January and last year, arriving at the eight knockout games on this weekend.

#rugby #rugbypodcast #89Rugby

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Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and we’re doing more on Instagram, too

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Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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Rugby writer, analyst and YouTuber John Ferguson joins Brett McKay on the AUS Rugby scene this week, to have a good think about what we’ve seen in Super Rugby Pacific over the first six weeks of the competition.

And with a look ahead at what’s coming for a few teams as well. The Hurricanes face all the other current top six teams over the next six week, for example. The Chiefs and Waratahs have harder looking draws coming up, too. The Fijian Drua suddenly look very vulnerable. Even before the halfway point of the year, the run to the finals looks like it will be intriguing.

#rugbypodcast #89Rugby #SuperRugbyPacific

Find John’s YouTube channel, Off the Ruck at https://www.youtube.com/@OfftheRuck

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Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and on Instagram, too

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Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley joins Brett McKay on the AUS Rugby scene, for a look under the hood of the premiere southern hemisphere competition and examine the broader state of the game.

What’s made Super Rugby great this season has been the closeness, the unpredictability, the fact that top teams have all lost to teams below then on the table. But there’s always more than can be done, there’s nice-to-haves and even must-haves. There’s also priorities and limited investment opportunities.

In a wide-ranging chat that covers off everything from Law Variations to fan engagement, from broadcast look & feel to backing the best match officials in the world, this is a chat in which you’ll learn something.

#rugbypodcast #89Rugby #SuperRugbyPacific

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Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and we’re doing more on Instagram, too

And please do check out and subscribe to 8/9 Rugby on Substack: https://89rugby.substack.com/

Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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Rugby YouTube star and wonderful content creator Huw Griffin is back with Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby this week, to wrap up what has been universally decreed as the best Six Nations tournament ever.

Ultimately, France claimed a successive title by beating England in the final game, but oh the drama to get there! And the subplots from this year’s tournament are endless: England’s worst ever Six Nations, Scotland’s close-but-maybe-still-so-far challenge, the rise of Italy, the life still in old Irish legs, and event the gradual but definite progress of Wales.

It’s been a superb tournament, and Huw is the perfect person to wrap it all up.

#rugby #rugbypodcast #89Rugby #internationalrugby #SixNations #Ireland #France #England #Scotland #Italy #Wales

Find Huw on the HG Rugby on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HuwGriffinRugby

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Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and we’re doing more on Instagram, too

And please do check out and subscribe to 8/9 Rugby on Substack: https://89rugby.substack.com/

Find Brett on both Twitter and on BlueSky: @BMcSport

Music: "Up Above" by Letter Box (via YouTube Creator Studio)

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