Ep.57 - Cascading Uncertainty with Geoff Parkes

It’s the halfway point of Super Rugby Pacific, and that seems the ideal time to start drawing conclusions about the competing teams, as leading columnist turned author Geoff Parkes joined Brett McKay & Harry Jones on The 8-9 Combo Rugby Podcast. But in Australian rugby, it’s much more than just how each of the four teams are going. Headlined by incumbent Wallabies flyhalf and ACT Brumbies star no.10 Noah Lolesio electing to head Japan rather than deal with the ups and downs of yet another Wallabies coach, Geoff and the guys get into the crippling impact still not knowing Joe Schmidt’s successor is having on Australian players. Plus: it’s Champions Cup Quarter Final weekend, and there’s some intriguing contests across Super Rugby Pacific, League One in Japan and Major League Rugby. Games of the Week: Champions Cup Quarter Finals Leinster v Glasgow, Dublin Bordeaux v Munster, Bordeaux Northampton v Castres, Northampton Toulon v Toulouse, Toulon SRP Round 9: Blues v Moana Pasifika, Auckland Queensland Reds v ACT Brumbies, Brisbane League One Week 17: Kubota Spears v Suntory Sungoliath, Osaka MLR Rd.9: New England Free Jacks v San Diego Legion, Quincy MA #rugby #rugbypodcast #89Combo #ChampionsCup #SuperRugbyPacific #JapanRugbyLeagueOne #MajorLeagueRugby #theWrap #GeoffParkes 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