Mowen's Australian rugby career will end when the Brumbies are knocked out of the championship race, and that could be as early as Friday night.

The Brumbies need to beat the Western Force at Canberra Stadium to stay in title contention and keep their hopes of grand final redemption alive.

Mowen has missed just 250 of a possible 4000 minutes – the least of any of his teammates – in his three-year stint in Canberra, helping lead a Brumbies revival over the past three years.

But in a sign that the Brumbies are avoiding emotion, the club had a team function last week to say goodbye to 17 players and staff – including Mowen, director of rugby Laurie Fisher and Clyde Rathbone – who will leave Canberra as early as three days after the Brumbies' season finishes.

"At the back of your mind is definitely the fact this could be the last chance we could get, and that adds desperation and we can pour everything into this last run because it has been a special time," Mowen said.

"We want to make sure we leave with a result ... making the finals isn't a result, we need something special.

"It [the team function] was a good re-calibration for us, some closure on that side of things and we want to sign off in the right way."

The Brumbies can earn a home final if they beat the Force and results go their way.

They can still sneak into the play-offs if they lose to the Force, but get a bonus point and the Auckland Blues beat the Waikato Chiefs.

The Brumbies have been bolstered by the return of four Wallabies and hooker Josh Mann-Rea for the crucial Australian derby clash.

When the Brumbies' season ends, Mowen will leave for France, Fisher will join Gloucester and Rathbone is set to retire. Players Leon Power, Andrew Smith and Ruaidhri Murphy are also leaving while there will be a back room reshuffle for next year's campaign.

But two-time Super Rugby championship winner Larkham said the Brumbies were avoiding a farewell tour.

"We're not talking about those farewells, we're talking about our finals run now and painting a clear picture of what this result means for us and where it needs to take us," coach Stephen Larkham said.

"We're not talking about this being the final game of our season, we're talking about it being the start of our finals campaign. We have to make sure the preparation is right, not just because someone is leaving."

Mowen will equal Wallabies great George Gregan's record as the most capped Brumbies captain when he runs out against the Force.

He shocked Australian rugby earlier this year when he announced his decision to move to France.

The 29-year-old is confident there will not be an exodus of rugby players to cashed-up French clubs.

Mowen was the surprise choice as the club's new leader when Jake White started his coaching tenure, and the duo helped rebuild the Brumbies from a rabble in 2011 to title contenders.

"Ben is right up there, he came in at a difficult time ... he showed great leadership qualities, he's been consistent with what he demands of himself and others," Gregan said.

"He's mature, has a good calm head, he was destined to become a captain at some stage in his career and that happened when he came to the Brumbies.

"Sport can be cruel and be kind, you'd love to see [Mowen and Fisher] go out with a championship ... there's a lot of motivating factors to qualify and then go as deep as they can."