It's tight at the top of Super Rugby, but the equation is simple for the Brumbies against the ladder-leading Queensland Reds in Brisbane on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Win, and retain the possibility of hosting this year's final at Canberra Stadium.
Lose, and be required to defend their Super Rugby title on enemy turf.
The Reds sit four competition points clear of the Brumbies, thanks to a nail-biting win over the champions in Canberra last month.
That result ensured top spot this year was Queensland's to lose, although the Brumbies can recapture control of their destiny with a bonus-point triumph north of the border.
Not that Dan McKellar's troops are looking that far ahead, despite the widening gulf between the top two and the Super Rugby AU also rans.
"We're definitely not thinking about that, that's definitely at the back of our minds - for us it's just worrying about our jobs," Brumbies centre Irae Simone said.
"Everyone trains to win games, play good footy. We're not worried about the future, we're just worried about what we can control which is our trainings, and everything else will look after itself."
MORE BRUMBIES NEWS
The round four Brumbies-Reds grand final rematch was easily the game of the Australian Super Rugby season so far.
McKellar's side raced to a 17-0 lead, but were ultimately sunk by a try to Wallaby star Jordan Petaia in the concluding stages before James O'Connor's conversion handed the Reds a remarkable 40-38 point win.
Despite the heart-breaking loss, Simone said revenge was not a motivating factor this weekend.
"There is a lot of emotion in it, but for us we've just got to remove that and just worry about ourselves," Simone said.
"They're flying high at the moment. We've got to just keep doing the one per centers right."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
