The Australian international limped off Leichhardt Oval in the 48th minute of the Brumbies' 30-12 loss to the Melbourne Rebels on Friday night and did not return.

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar confirmed Sio was sore but did not need scans, meaning the 28-year-old prop will be available to play the NSW Waratahs on Saturday week.

Emerging prop Tom Ross, however, will undergo concussion protocols after he left the field late in the match for a head injury assessment.

McKellar says the Brumbies have been given a harsh "wake up call" but has backed his side to bounce back on the road to the Super Rugby AU finals.

Their lead at the top of the standings has been sliced to four points as they head into a bye week before setting their sights on the home stretch.

Game day travel has taken a toll on the Brumbies with three trips to Sydney in four weeks with the visitors struggling to match the Rebels' intensity from the opening whistle in torrential rain.

But McKellar is refusing to search for excuses, adamant his side can find a way to rise to another level should they find themselves behind the eight ball again.

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"It's been a big month for us with travel challenges and that sort of thing, that's no excuse but it's been a big month. It's a good wake up call for us. We need to be better," McKellar said.

"Coming here tonight we were four from four, but as a team, we're reasonably happy but we understand we're not where we need to be.

"There's no excuse, [even with] a six-day turnaround with travel on game day, you've got to take your hat off to the opposition. They outplayed us. There are no excuses, we just didn't play well.

"We were just outplayed in all areas. You have those nights every now and then, and tonight certainly wasn't our night. The Rebels turned up with an intensity we didn't match early on.

"It's a disappointing night but we will bounce back."

A late Will Miller try is all that saved the Brumbies from their lowest score in an Australian derby since 2011, a night that saw them post seven points against NSW.

Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa concedes he was left "gutted" at the full-time siren after the Rebels continuously pinned the visitors in their own red zone and capitalised on mistakes.

The boot of Rebels flyhalf Andrew Deegan had the ladder leaders on the back foot all night with the Brumbies' back three of Tom Banks, Andy Muirhead and Solomone Kata struggling to find an answer to the onslaught.

On a night where both sides entered with similar game plans to combat the conditions far from conducive to running rugby, there was clearly one side with the advantage.

"I just thought our decision making off the back of kick return counter attack in particular hurt us," McKellar said.

"They were obviously kicking a lot, they kicked well and put us under pressure with some of our decisions there. We were just off a little bit in our effort areas.

"The intensity around the physicality was better in the last 15 minutes of the first half, but they certainly caught us on the hop to start the game.

"Decision making around counter attack was something we spoke about, and getting excited about the challenge. It was going to be a challenge for us to come back. In the end it proved too big."

The Brumbies now have a week to lick their wounds before they look to bounce back against the Waratahs at Canberra Stadium in round eight.

The bye comes at a welcome time for McKellar, who could welcome Nic White into the fray at scrumhalf. In-form winger Tom Wright and prop James Slipper could also be back in the frame should they overcome niggling injuries.

But Scott Sio limped off the park late against the Rebels while emerging prop Tom Ross will undergo concussion protocols after he left the field for a head injury assessment.

AT A GLANCE

Super Rugby AU round six: MELBOURNE REBELS 30 (Reece Hodge 2, Brad Wilkin, Jordan Uelese tries; Matt Toomua 2 conversions; Toomua 2 penalties) bt ACT BRUMBIES 12 (Joe Powell, Will Miller tries; Bayley Kuenzle conversion) at Leichhardt Oval.