ACT Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham has backed Christian Lealiifano to make an immediate impact in the Super Rugby finals if he is picked to make a comeback against the Wellington Hurricanes.
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Lealiifano looms as a finals secret weapon for the Brumbies as they prepare to clash against the defending champion Hurricanes in a quarter-final at Canberra Stadium on Friday night.
Larkham hopes to make a decision on Lealiifano's availability early in the week to give the playmaker time to prepare for what would be his first game since being diagnosed with leukaemia 11 months ago.
Lealiifano was set to play two weeks ago but his return to professional rugby was delayed when he injured his hamstring on the eve of the game.
The comeback speed hump has set the stage for Lealiifano to be an end-of-season boost for the Brumbies hopes ending a 13-year championship drought.
"It's been a long time since he last played [Super Rugby], but he was ready to play against the Reds two weeks ago so he's ready physically," Larkham said.
"He's a guy who can slot back in where needed and he knows what he's got to do for Super Rugby so he'll get his mind ready for that. We'll make a decision early in the week and finalise the team on Wednesday."
The Brumbies are set to bolster their ranks on Monday, with the club set to unveil Andrew Muirhead as the latest recruit for the 2018 season.
Muirhead was plucked from club rugby to make his debut in April and impressed the coaches enough to win a full-time contract for next after juggling rugby and part-time work this season.
He will join the Brumbies at training for a massive finals week after a defiant 18-point loss to the Waikato Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.
They are set to recall the cavalry for a massive challenge against the Hurricanes after Larkham rested 10 players for the last game of the regular season.
Rory Arnold (shoulder) and Chris Alcock (thigh) are expected to be fit after suffering injuries two weeks ago while Sam Carter, Joe Powell, Tevita Kuridrani and Allan Alaalatoa will all be fresh after having a week off.
The Highlanders have been the most prolific attacking team in Super Rugby this season and smashed the Brumbies 56-21 when the teams played in April.
The Brumbies haven't beaten a New Zealand team since they toppled the Hurricanes in the opening round of the season last year.
But prop Scott Sio said the Brumbies were ready to break the drought and stake their claim to be a championship contender.
"The Hurricanes have had a lot of All Blacks lately, it's going to be a massive challenge. We know that," Sio said.
"We've got a number of players coming back this week and Christian is the inspiration of our side, so to have him back would be amazing. Hopefully if Christian is there the people of Canberra get out and support him.
"We're ready for the challenge in front of us, and being at home is going to massive with Canberrans braving the cold and willing our team along."
The Brumbies have lost just two of 10 finals games in Canberra since the start of Super Rugby in 1996. However, they have lost 10 games in a row against New Zealand opponents.
New Zealand teams won all 25 games against Australian sides this year, and the Kiwi winning streak is 31 games since the end of last year.
But Larkham is confident his plan to rest key players in the last round of the regular season will pay off to shock the dangerous Hurricanes in the capital.
The Brumbies are hopeful of luring a big crowd to the ground, with the gate takings set to help the club record a small profit this year after losing more than $3 million in the past three years.
SUPER RUGBY QUARTER-FINAL
Friday: ACT Brumbies v Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium, 7.35pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.
