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

Brett McKay and Harry Jones jump into the Second Lions Test Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast, in which the British & Irish Lions wrapped up the series with a 29-26 win over the Wallabies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Australia produced perhaps their best 70+ minutes of rugby every from this playing group, which makes the heartbreaking three-point loss, and with it the series gone, all the more hard to take. The Lions should perhaps feel like they’ve got away with one, pushed for way longer than any game on tour, and forced into mistakes not seen from them so far. And yet again, Brett & Harry find themselves podding after a Wallabies loss. Do a podcast, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.

#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

If the 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour is to follow the 2001 and 2013 scripts, the Wallabies simply must win in Melbourne this weekend to send the series to a decider. The great Jim Tucker joined Brett McKay & Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to contemplate everything the Second Test needs this weekend.

The Gods of rugby timings blessed this week’s episode with both the Wallabies and Lions team lists mid-recordings, allowing the guys to got through the changes on both sides of the contest and determine what either side needs to do in order to win at the MCG on Saturday night. And for the Wallabies, it’s not now a matter of ‘if’, but ‘how’. Because they just have to.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brett McKay and Harry Jones rip into the First Lions Test Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast, in which the British & Irish Lions have beaten the Wallabies 27-19 in front of more than 52,000 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

The Lions will be annoyed to have been ascendant all game, yet only winning by eight, while the Australian can take plenty of positives out of the First Test, knowing there’s some key big bodies to come back into the side. Get Harry’s take on the game from afar, while Brett bring the incredible stadium noise into your ears so soon after full time.

Plus, some quick thoughts on New Zealand’s clean sweep series win over France that was far closer than the history books will show.

#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

We’re just days away from the Wallabies v British & Irish Lions Test Match, but why haven’t the protagonists on each side emerged yet? Lee Calvert from the Blood & Mud podcast joined Brett McKay & Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to ponder what the series has so far missed.

Tidbits about the teams are starting to filter out. The Coach may not pick the Son. Storylines of heartbreak and triumph are emerging, and Exclusives will be claimed. Some will even be actually exclusive. But there is still a treading-water feel about this build-up. Maybe that changes when the teams are announced on Thursday.

Games of the Week:

• New Zealand v France, Hamilton SAT

• Australia v British & Irish Lions, Brisbane

• South Africa v Georgia, Mbombela (Nelspruit)

• Argentina v Uruguay, Salta

• U20s World Championship finals, Italy

#rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #British&IrishLions #Lions2025 #internationalrugby #Wallabies #AllBlacks #Springboks #LosPumas #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

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