The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast

We keep saying The 2025 Rugby Championship is the tightest one yet, and so it remains after four rounds. Everyone has two wins and two losses. Everyone has won and lost at home, everyone has won and lost away. Brett & Harry ask the key questions in this TRC week off before we resume for Round 5 next weekend. But how will Australia and New Zealand bounce back after stinging losses? And how confident are Argentina and South Africa right now? This week's key questions: Q1. How deep is the Wallabies fallout from the Argentina loss in Sydney? Q2. Is it nearly as deep as the All Blacks fallout from the Boks loss in Wellington? Q3. Everyone has two wins + two losses. Who wins the TRC from here? 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 officially nuts. After four rounds, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, amd Argentina all have four wins. Brett McKay and Harry Jones try to make sense of it all on another TRC Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. In Sydney, Los Pumas scored the two point-win they perhaps should have claimed a week ago, though Australia now lead the tournament courtesy of double bonus points in a loss and the worst forward pass miss in a long time. In Wellington, the Springboks handed the All Blacks a thumping that didn’t just eclipse their worst loss on home soil, they more than doubled it. #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

If the 2025 Rugby Championship is the tightest one yet, Round 4 this weekend looms as the hardest to pick yet. Australia and Argentina have both rung the changes to their teams, forced and not, New Zealand appear to have beefed up their pack but snuck a debutant on the wing, and South Africa have named such a young side that Rassie may well be now operating two RWCs ahead. Brett & Harry ask the key questions ahead of this weekend’s 4th Round of TRC matches in Sydney and Wellington. Can Argentina bounce back from the heartbreak of Townsville? How much do South Africa have left to find a win in NZ? And could we finish the weekend with everyone on two wins? This week's key questions: Q1. If NZ were to be beaten, why would it happen? Q2. If OZ were upset, what’s likely reason? Q3. Of those two upsets, which likeliest in your opinion? What do you think? We'd love to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is officially the tightest Rugby Championship anyone can remember and former Argentinean centre Marcello Bosch joined Brett McKay and Harry Jones on The 8/9 Combo Rugby Podcast to flip a coin in an attempt to work out what happens this weekend in Round 4. Certainly, the rise of the Wallabies has helped, but the rise of Los Pumas cannot be ignored in that conversation. Marcello can’t be more impressed with the evolution of Argentina under Felipe Contepomi, and believes there’s no coincidence that the lift in form from both Argentina and Australia can be traced back to Irish influences on their respective coaches. #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 have found another comeback win and the All Blacks’ Eden Park fortress remains intact and impenetrable, as Brett McKay and Harry Jones delve into another TRC Post-Mortem for The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. In Townsville, the Wallabies came from 21-7 down at halftime, and turned down three penalty attempts after the final siren to find an 86th winner, to beat Argentina 28-24 in the north Queensland sunshine, while the All Blacks did everything right early to lead 14-0, holding on for dear life as South Africa threw everything at them in the second half to no avail, winning 24-17 in Auckland. Two proper Test Matches, make no mistake, and no guarantees for the return Round 4 next weekend. Features an Eden Park cameo from friend of the pod, Jamie Wall! #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

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

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

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