The ACT Brumbies are on a mission to stop a ''freakish'' Israel Folau and are using a last-round ''reality check'' to stabilise their Super Rugby finals aspirations in Sydney on Saturday night.
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Sparks are set to fly as the Brumbies prepare for what looms as one of their biggest clashes of the season when they take on Folau and the resurgent NSW Waratahs at ANZ Stadium.
Not only are vital competition points in the race to the play-offs on the line but also several Wallabies spots. Folau has been instrumental in the Waratahs' rise after a sluggish start to their new era under coach Michael Cheika.
But the former NRL star has hit form in time to lead a charge to the finals and put his case forward for a Wallabies call up to take on the British and Irish Lions in June and July.
There will be extra spice to the contest after Brumbies' coach Jake White said it would be an ''indictment'' Wallabies jersey if Folau was picked to take on the Lions without making a long-term commitment to rugby. Folau scored the match-winning try for the Waratahs last weekend as they secured a 21-15 win over the Cape Town Stormers.
He has scored five tries in the past five matches. ''He's got the ability and confidence to do things that other players can't do … he's going to be one of the danger players …'' Brumbies Fotu Auelua said.
''But we don't want to be too focused on him, the Waratahs have guys like Drew Mitchell, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Cam Crawford who will hurt you if you focus on one guy.
''Isreal's the benchmark, they get their go forward from him. We've got to shut down the space and make sure we don't slip up because once he sniffs an opportunity he'll take it.''
The match will be the last Super Rugby game before Wallabies coach Robbie Deans settles on a 25-man squad to prepare for the Lions series.
Deans will name his squad on Sunday.
The Brumbies had the most players of any Australian franchise - 11 - invited to a Lions series logistics camp last month.
Now it's Brumbies rookie Jesse Mogg versus Folau, Auelua versus Wallabies stalwart Wycliff Palu and George Smith versus Michael Hooper among many one-on-ones. The individual battles will take a back seat with the team performance taking precedence.
The Brumbies suffered their second loss of the season when they stumbled against the Canterbury Crusaders two weeks ago.
Despite the defeat, they remain at the top of the overall Super Rugby ladder after 13 weeks and need to beat the Waratahs to keep their buffer in the Australian conference.
The Brumbies are on 45 points with the Queensland Reds just one point behind and the Waratahs launching a season revival to be on 34 points.
The Brumbies trounced the Waratahs 35-6 when the teams clashed in the capital two months ago.
It triggered a verbal lashing from Waratahs coach Cheika and NSW has turned its season around.
But Auelua said the Brumbies got their ''reality check'' losing to the Crusaders and were determined to make amends.
''We have to realise things are going to get harder and that's a massive focus for us,'' No 8-player Auelua said.