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

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

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

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

The British & Irish Lions have bid farewell to their 2025 Tour of Australia, heading back to the Home Nations with the trophy in their pockets and winning bonuses in their wallets. But with still so much to wrap up from the series Brett McKay & Harry Jones welcomed onto The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast Jonathan Drennan from the Sydney Morning Herald.

All the key questions will be asked: which coach is least unhappy? What was the biggest selection gamble or mistake? Which players most epitomised the Wallabies and Lions? And importantly, with a squad named and about to head to South Africa to kickstart The Rugby Championship campaign, how must the Wallabies and Australian rugby build from the Lions Series?

#rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #British&IrishLions #Lions2025 #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 Third Lions Test has been run and won, and the series is done now too, and Brett McKay and Harry Jones another Lions Test Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast, after the Wallabies finished the series on a high, beating the Lions 22-12 at Accor Stadium in Sydney.

After the game was delayed for lightening, the recording suffered both weather and technology issues, and for which you have the 8/9 Combo’s apologies. But what you will get is the only reaction podcast recorded on Fulltime at the Stadium, as Harry and Brett go through all the key moments – plus what the Wallabies can now take forward with them into The Rugby Championship in just two weeks’ time.

#rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #WeekendPostMortem #InternationalRugby #LionsTour #Wallabies #AllBlacks #France #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

The British & Irish Lions have sealed the Test Series of their 2025 Tour of Australia, winning a Melbourne Cricket Ground thriller in the 80th minute, and all in front of a record crowd for a Lions Test. And with so much to go through it was timely that The Telegraph’s Charlie Morgan joined Brett McKay & Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast.

And with so many moments to get into and analyse and dissect, Harry also decide this was the week to create the first Rugby Writer’s Colloquium, in which he peeled out highlight’s Charlie’s great analysis this week, and Brett’s column for RugbyPass, and read it back to them! But it provided the perfect way to get into so many more of the moments that seem to have been lost in all the debate about whether or not there was a penalty in the last ruck of the match.

#rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #British&IrishLions #Lions2025 #internationalrugby #Wallabies #U20sWorldChampionship

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