The Brumbies returned to Canberra yesterday morning on the verge of breaking their finals drought after beating the NSW Waratahs 19-15.

Instead of spending the night in Sydney, the Brumbies drove back to the capital straight after their four-point triumph and arrived home at 3am.

A win against the Auckland Blues at Canberra Stadium on Saturday will secure their place in the top three.

It's an amazing revival for a team which was written off at the start of the year as Jake White set about rebuilding the two-time champions.

But club legend Gregan - who is now a consultant coach - said they belonged at the top of the ladder and are capable of challenging for the title.

''This team knows how to win, I think they can take confidence out of this,'' Gregan said.

''They compete, they fight very hard and they're always in the contest both home and away.

''You're not where you are on the table by chance … they belong up there and they just have to stay true to what they have done all year.''

An almost sell-out crowd is expected in the capital for the clash with the Blues.

The Brumbies haven't played at home since stumbling against the Queensland Reds in May.

But the build-up to the final regular-season game will resemble the hype which helped lift Gregan and his teammates to a championship win in 2004.

That was the last time the Brumbies were in the finals.

In a sign of White's faith in his young players, he has engineered his program around finishing the season on August 4 - the weekend of the final.

The training regimen has been designed by athletic performance director Dean Benton to have the players in peak condition for a charge to the title.

Now the team must continue its charge to the top and keep its season alive.

While a win will guarantee them top spot in the Australian conference, their play-off hopes are not dead if they lose.

The Queensland Reds need a bonus-point win against the Waratahs in Brisbane on Saturday night to level the Brumbies' points tally on the ladder.

The Brumbies can lose if they secure a bonus point for being defeated by less than seven.

But if they lose by more than seven and the Reds get a bonus-point win, defending champion Queensland will leap the Brumbies because they will have more victories.

If the Brumbies stay at the top of the Australian conference, they will play a home final on either July 20 or 21 and Gregan urged them to ensure a perfect opportunity doesn't slip.

''This team has found different ways to win, they were patient [against NSW], they trusted each other and that shows character and belief,'' Gregan said.

''Defence has been a hallmark of this team. The whole team are quick learners. You work hard to get yourself this opportunity and now they have to take it. They've got to do the basic things, have the belief and intent and then take the opportunity.''

The Brumbies showed signs of a true champion team when they withstood constant Waratahs attacking raids. They had less than 40 per cent of possession but conceded just two tries and showed composure when they fell behind.