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