Episodes

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New 51 min

Ep.36 – The Nations Championship reviso with Jonathan Drennan

Jonathan Drennan from the Sydney Morning Herald returns from holidays to join Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby to quickly get back up to speed with the inner workings and upcoming fixtures for the November leg Nations Championship. And with breaking Wallabies squad news in the middle of it the discussion! The November Tests represent a massive challenge for the Wallabies, with first up games against England and Scotland, from which wins would bring huge benefits. Elsewhere, Scotland-New Zealand, France-South Africa, and even Italy-Fiji loom as must-watch games in what will be a huge month of international rugby. #89Rugby #Wallabies #NationsChampionship Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

48 min

Ep.35 – Popping the L-plates back on with James Slipper

Wallabies & Super Rugby games record holder James Slipper joins Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby to reflect on the Bledisloe Cup, watching from the couch, and how Australia can bounce back on the upcoming Nations Championship. 'Slips' breaks down how the squad processes tough defeats, and what the Wallabies need to sharpen ahead of a gruelling northern tour, as well as pulling back the curtain on his first taste of coaching with the Brumbies, and what his future holds heading toward 2027. #89Rugby #Wallabies #AllBlacks #AUSvNZL Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

32 min

Bledisloe Cup Post-Mortem: All Blacks clinical, Wallabies comical in Sydney

The All Blacks piled on more misery for the Wallabies, running in another comprehensive 43-21 win at Accor Stadium in Sydney to complete the clean sweep for 2026. Jim Tucker joined Brett McKay for the final Bledisloe LIVE 8/9 Rugby Post-Mortem for the year. And it was another disappointing result for Australia, with the contest essentially over when the New Zealand ran in their seventh try just after halftime. The Wallabies would find two tries after that, but it’s fair to say the contest was long gone by that stage. All attention for the Wallabies now is the Australia A tour of the USA, and the Wallabies’ Nations Championship campaign in November, and it’s fair to say there is much to work on. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Rugby #TestRugby #BledisloeCup #AUSvNZL #Wallabies #AllBlacks Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

48 min

Ep.34 – The Bledisloe result no-one wanted with Tony Johnson

The Bledisloe Cup remains in New Zealand for another year, after another Wallabies opportunity lost extended the Eden Park streak for the All Blacks. Leading NZ commentator Tony Johnson joined Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby to dive into result that has deflated the tyres on both sides of the contest. Certainly, we saw the All Blacks response to the lost Greatest Rivalry series. They were simply hungrier, and more determined to heed the valuable lessons learned. And sadly, the Wallabies weren’t able to convert the confidence and momentum gained from beating South Africa into meaningful performance on the field. And now they’ve got to sharpen up for the return leg in Sydney this Saturday. #89Rugby #Wallabies #AllBlacks #NZLvAUS Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

31 min

Bledisloe Cup Post-Mortem: All Blacks restore order with Wallabies thumping

The All Blacks have delivered exactly the kind of response Wallabies fans feared, and precisely what New Zealanders were demanding in the first Bledisloe Cup Test of the year. Jim Tucker joined Brett McKay for another LIVE 8/9 Rugby Post-Mortem, in which the All Blacks have retained the massive mug for another year. After a tight first half so both teams pretty even at halftime, New Zealand ran in three unanswered tries after halftime to blow the Wallabies away, and the knock this contest on its head, before running away 50-19 winners in a comprehensive 7 tries to 3 win. All attention now turns to the return leg in Sydney next Saturday. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Rugby #TestRugby #BledisloeCup #NZLvAUS #Wallabies #AllBlacks Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

41 min

Ep.33 – Equal parts Bledisloe nerves and opportunity with Justin Harrison

The Wallabies beat the Springboks, but now the biggest test awaits: the Bledisloe Cup. Former Wallabies lock turned commentator Justin Harrison joined Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby to dive into the week on the rugby calendar that’s both exciting and nerve-wracking for Australian fans. There will be pressure and expectation on the Wallabies, but what of the pressure and expectation on the All Blacks? Imagine the fallout if they lost a fourth-straight Test? And so how can the Wallabies turn that into opportunity? And how will being front-runners all this year – they’re yet to trail at halftime in 2026 – set them up to put the Kiwis under the pressure that could force them onto the back foot and into errors? #89Rugby #Wallabies #AllBlacks #NZLvAUS Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

51 min

Ep.32 – Making sense of all that Perth nonsense with Sean Maloney

Even a couple of days on, it’s still hard to make sense of the way that mad Wallabies-Springboks Test Match on Sunday night. Sean Maloney from Stan Sport joined Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby to try and make sense of it all, and you the audience can the judge of how successful that’s been. We may never make sense of it. Before it, the Wallabies produced comfortably their best performance of the year, and maybe even their best since the Ellis Park win last year. The ‘Boks were good enough to score three converted tries in the last ten minutes, but ultimately, the damage was done beforehand – and before the four yellow cards created all the mayhem. Great tries, comms failures, a proper team performance to enjoy. And ten minutes of madness. #89Rugby #Wallabies #Springboks #AUSvRSA Find us on youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

43 min

Wallabies-Springboks Post-Mortem: It’s happened again. Just…

In one of the craziest Test Matches in living memory, the Wallabies have held on for a thoroughly deserved but quite extraordinary win over the Springboks in Perth. Jim Tucker joined Brett McKay for another LIVE 8/9 Rugby Post-Mortem, to try and make sense of what the rugby world just witnessed. Leading 42-17 with ten to play, Australia held on for a 42-38 win over South Africa that’s remarkable for so many reasons. If it’s not the four yellow cards in the last 10 minutes, if it’s not the fact that referee Andre Pairdi and his TMO were communicating by a phone run onto the pitch, if it’s not the four disallowed tries and countless other decisions made this way, then just believe us when we say this was a crazy game. #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Rugby #TestRugby #AUSvRSA #Wallabies #Springboks Find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts Social media: search for ‘8/9 Rugby’ on Twitter, Bluesky, LinkedIn, and 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

About 8/9 Rugby

The long-ish tradition of Great Rugby Chats continues on 8/9 Rugby with an incredible array of guests, and available on YouTube and wherever you pod every week. Tune in every week as Brett McKay is joined by a revolving list of well-known guest co-hosts from all corners of the rugby world, combining to blend the perfect combination of passion, humour, nonsense, and genuine insight. And now in written form on Substack, too! Get great insights from a host of names you know and rugby opinions you respect every week.

Show details

Creator
Brett McKay & great co-hosts
Hosted by
Brett McKay, Harry Jones
Years active
2026 - 2024
Episodes
368
Copyright
4599b630-ed55-11f0-bca1-6fc2f38d9156

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