8/9 Rugby

Commentator, presenter, and former Sunwolves lock Sam Wykes joined Brett McKay on the AUS Rugby scene this week, to peer into the dangers of the final two rounds of Super Rugby Pacific.

Looking resplendent in his old Mighty Moondogs team kit, Sam gave some great first-hand insights into the anxiety around the final games for Moana Pasifika, and the impediments stopping the Fijian Drua becoming the finals team we think they can become, as well as working through the games that matter this weekend and next.

#rugbypodcast #89Rugby #SuperRugbyPacific

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

Rugby traveller and storyteller Harry Jones returns to 8/9 Rugby, reuniting with Brett McKay to dig into all the juicy bits in the lead-up to the Champions Cup Final in Spain this weekend, between Bordeaux and Leinster.

The Bilbao clash pits a stark contrast of styles: the all-out, at times chaotic attack of UBB vs. the ideally impenetrable Jacques Nienaber defence of Leinster. From there. It’s just a matter of who can on the day. Can Bordeaux back up last year’s triumph and match the party that went for days? Can Leinster carry their growing URC momentum to another European title at the same venue as their last?

#rugby #rugbypodcast #89Rugby

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

Rugby writer, analyst and creator John Ferguson joined Brett McKay on the AUS Rugby scene this week, as Super Rugby Pacific properly hots up for the remaining three rounds.

With the valid assumption that the Hurricanes and Chiefs are locked into the top two – which looks highly likely – the run home for the remaining eight teams in finals contention is examined to work out who might finish where in the playoff positions, who might force their way in, and who’s in danger of missing out.

#rugbypodcast #89Rugby #SuperRugbyPacific

Find John’s channel Off The Ruck on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OfftheRuck

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

Jake Mangin, Head Coach of Chilean professional team Selknam joined Brett McKay on 8/9 Rugby this week, for another state of play chat around Super Rugby Americas.

Following on from similar State of Play chats on League One in Japan, and Major League Rugby in the US, Jake provides first hand insight into the origins and structure of the eight-team Super Rugby Americas competition in South America, how good of a job it’s doing in developing players for Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina, and how the 2026 season is playing out for the competition and his team.

#rugby #rugbypodcast #89Rugby

More on Super Rugby Americas here: https://www.superrugbyamericas.com/

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

A peer behind the curtain into the world of rugby broadcasting on the AUS Rugby scene this week, as Stan Sport Exec Producer and Commentator Andrew Swain joins Brett McKay to share some of the secrets of what goes on behind the cameras at a rugby game, and how it all gets to air.

As a commentator, ‘Swainy’ is also often juggling the many moving parts of live TV with having to call games – including the now famous night he stepped in as colleague Sean Maloney’s voice failed him.

And as if that’s not enough, this all happens as Super Rugby Pacific pushes headlong toward the finals series, with unknown numbers of equations and permutations available over the next month of action, as teams jockey for a finals berth.

#rugbypodcast #89Rugby #SuperRugbyPacific

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