ACT Brumbies and Wallabies leader Stephen Moore believes Australian teams can use the end of the Super Rugby season to right the wrongs of a Test-series defeat at the hands of England.
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But the respected hooker says the Wallabies' thoughts will take a back seat to Super Rugby ambitions as he begins the final charge of his Brumbies career on Friday night.
![Downcast: Wallabies captain Stephen Moore and teammates look dejected after losing the series in Melbourne. Photo: Getty Images Downcast: Wallabies captain Stephen Moore and teammates look dejected after losing the series in Melbourne. Photo: Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/9e665f55-cb4b-430a-a4d2-d9acdb92198d/r0_0_2000_1333_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Brumbies have set their sights on finishing at the top of the Australian conference to avoid the dreaded travel path through the finals series.
Coach Stephen Larkham says they won't make the same mistakes of the past and slip in the last three rounds of the regular season to give themselves the best possible chance of claiming the title.
Moore will lead the Brumbies into battle against the Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium and on their run to the finals before leaving Canberra at the end of the season to link with the Reds.
The move is the furthest thing from his mind as he attempts to leave the capital on the best possible note and chase a potential Super Rugby championship to farewell the Brumbies.
The Brumbies-Reds clash is littered with Wallabies talent less than a week after suffering a devastating 3-0 whitewash against England.
"After the [last weekend] you feel pretty shattered about the result [against England]," Moore said
"We did a lot of good stuff but not enough to get the results. It's nice to have something to move into straightaway here and something to play for.
"What's done is done, we need to look forward. And I think Super Rugby is an opportunity to work on things that didn't go so well in June and that's the case right across the teams.
"I think momentum is important, but we haven't looked beyond this game. We need to fire in all of our games remaining in the season and this one is really important. It can be tricky coming back from Tests, but we've worked hard on that to be back together and ready to play."
The Brumbies have eight players in their starting XV backing up from the Wallabies Test series, and Moore says they won't take the Reds lightly despite the Queenslanders winning just three games this year.
The Brumbies are level with the NSW Waratahs on ladder points, but the Waratahs will be chasing a bonus-point victory over the Japan Sunwolves on Saturday to streak ahead.
"We'll go out and play as well as we can, if bonus points come, then so be it," Moore said.
"We don't have too much time to worry about the other teams and their draw ... we need to make the most of it."
SUPER RUGBY ROUND 15
Friday: ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium, 7.45pm. TV time: Live on Fox Sports 2. Tickets available from Ticketek.
Brumbies team: 15. Aidan Toua, 14. Nigel Ah Wong, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 12. Matt Toomua, 11. James Dargaville, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 9. Joe Powell, 8. Ben Hyne, 7. Jarrad Butler, 6. Scott Fardy, 5. Sam Carter, 4. Rory Arnold, 3. Ben Alexander, 2. Stephen Moore, 1. Scott Sio. Reserves: 16. Josh Mann-Rea, 17. Allan Alaalatoa, 18. Ruan Smith, 19. Blake Enever, 20. Michael Wells, 21. Tomas Cubelli, 22. Andrew Smith, 23. Lausii Taliauli.
Reds team: 15. Jack Tuttle, 14. Chris Kuridrani, 13. Samu Kerevi, 12. Henry Taefu, 11. Eto Nabuli, 10. Jake McIntyre, 9. Nick Frisby, 8. Curtis Browning, 7. Liam Gill, 6. Kendrik Tui, 5. Lukhan Tui, 4. Cadeyrn Neville, 3. Greg Holmes, 2. Andrew Ready, 1. James Slipper. Reserves: 16. Saia Fainga'a, 17. Sef Fa'agase, 18. Taniela Tupou, 19. Kane Douglas, 20. Leroy Houston, 21. James Tuttle, 22. Duncan Paia'aua, 23. Campbell Magnay.