The Brumbies are locked in a three-way tussle with the NSW Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels for Australia's one guaranteed finals spot, only four points separating them on the Super Rugby ladder.

Fardy

"It means our players in Australia are exposed to the brutal rugby that it is and top-line rugby that you get at this time when finals are on the line," Fardy said.

"It's great to see the Rebels going well. As much as I want to beat them all the time, we're still happy they're going well and it's a benefit to the game in Australia.

"Confident players playing well helps the Wallabies. That's what we need."

The Brumbies have been one of the most consistent teams in recent years and haven't lost three games in a row since the 2011 campaign, which was the worst in the club's history.

They are in danger of dropping to their third consecutive loss as they prepare to play the Joahnnesburg Lions this week.

The battle for top spot in the Australian conference is the tightest in recent years. The defending champion Waratahs are positioned to strike while the resurgent Rebels are pushing for the first finals appearance in the club's short history.

The Brumbies are stuck in a rut, losing four of their past five matches. All of those losses have been by five points or less, including a shattering one-point defeat last weekend.

"We had a great opportunity to jump ahead last weekend, but technically the Waratahs are ahead of us on the ladder because they've got a game in hand," Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said.

"You've got to stay with it. We've lost four games by three points or less, had they gone the other way we'd be leading the competition.

"We know that we're almost there. We'll change things, but we won't make wholesale changes. There are small improvements."

The Lions have been one of the competition's lower-ranked sides in previous years. But the Johannesburg side is positioned to make its own finals charge, sitting just three points behind the Cape Town Stormers and Pretoria Bulls.

"The Lions have a good scrum and a terrific back row. I'd say they'll play a little bit more footy than what the Stormers did against us [last week]," said Brumbies captain Stephen Moore.

"We're going to have to adjust to that … we always talk about the balance in our game. It's not time to panic."

SUPER RUGBY ROUND 14

Sunday: Johannesburg Lions v ACT Brumbies at Ellis Park, 1.05am Australian time. TV time: Live on Fox Sports 2.

THE RUN HOME

BRUMBIES (33 points)

Rd 14: v Johannesburg Lions (away)

Rd 15: bye

Rd 16: v Pretoria Bulls (home)

Rd 17: v Western Force (away)

Rd 18: v Canterbury Crusaders (home)

WARATAHS (32 points)

Rd 14: v Durban Sharks (home)

Rd 15: v Canterbury Crusaders (home)

Rd 16: v Johannesburg Lions (away)

Rd 17: v Free State Cheetahs (away)

Rd 18: v Queensland Reds (home)

REBELS (29 points)

Rd 14: v Queensland Reds (away)

Rd 15: v Cape Town Stormers (away)

Rd 16: v Durban Sharks (away)

Rd 17: v Pretoria Bulls (home)

Rd 18: v Western Force (home)