The ACT Brumbies have put David Pocock's comeback on ice as they prepare to beat the heat and humidity of Brisbane by adopting new training tactics to ensure they can handle the draining conditions.
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Pocock has been ruled out of the Brumbies' clash against the Queensland Reds on Saturday night as the club takes a long-term view to his recovery from an ankle injury.
Coach Stephen Larkham isn't willing to risk rushing the former Wallabies skipper back onto the field after two knee reconstructions and an ankle syndesmosis problem, which has limited him to six games since the start of 2013.
It's a major blow for the Brumbies, who are set to roll out an unchanged team for the third week in a row for the battle against the Reds.
"It's about getting Poey 100 per cent right. We could have pushed him out there [for the Reds game], but it's about making sure we get it right before we do that," Larkham said.
"He's very close to playing; we're expecting him next week [against the NSW Waratahs]. But we will take that cautious approach with him to make sure it's good to go.
"He was shadowing at training earlier this week, but he will do a full session on Thursday."
The Brumbies are searching for their third win in a row, but are wary of a scorned Reds outfit after romping to a 47-3 win against Queensland in the opening round of the season.
The Brumbies are also trying to prepare for brutal conditions, with humidity expected to be about 90 per cent and temperatures to rise to 27 degrees before kick-off.
The conditions promoted Larkham to simulate ball control in humidity at training this week, with the coach dunking balls in water and forcing the players to complete skills drills.
Super Rugby and NRL teams have struggled to cope in the sweaty and exhausting conditions, resulting in sloppy games and poor ball control.
Players can lose up to six kilograms during the match and Larkham hopes his team is ready to handle the heat.
"It's completely different conditions in Brisbane than it is to Canberra," Larkham said.
"It's not about testing the players [with a wet ball], it's more about just getting out there and training in those conditions with a slippery ball. They adjusted accordingly.
"It gets it into their head that the ball might be slippery because of the sweat with the humidity up there. We go into the game knowing we've done a little bit of work."
The Brumbies have benefited from continuity in their starting side, with Pocock's absence and Stephen Moore's return the only changes to the team in the opening four rounds.
Jesse Mogg will be given extra time to prove his fitness after an ear infection forced him to miss the win against the Western Force last weekend.
The Brumbies hammered the Reds in the first game of the season, scoring six tries to nil and inflicting a 44-point defeat on their Queensland rivals.
The Australian derby looms as a crucial contest in the battle for conference supremacy, with the Brumbies undefeated against Australian opponents this year.
But flanker Scott Fardy, who has recovered from a shoulder knock, expects the Reds to be intent on revenge against the Brumbies.
"The Reds have their backs to the wall. They're going to come out fired up at us and we have to make sure we control the first 20 minutes of the game," Fardy said.
"Hopefully we can dictate the terms. But it's a massive challenge against a strong Reds side at home in humid conditions in 28 or 29 degree temperatures at kick-off."
SUPER RUGBY ROUND FIVE
Saturday: Queensland Reds v ACT Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium, 7.40pm (AEST). TV time: Live on Fox Sports 2.
