Dan McKellar has challenged his Brumbies to change the discussion around Australian and New Zealand rugby by posting a famous away win at Eden Park against the Blues on Saturday.
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The Brumbies coach has fired up his troops for the last leg of their brutal three-week tour across the ditch, which marks skipper Allan Alaalatoa's 100th Super Rugby cap, and vice captain Tom Cusack's 50th.
No Australian side has managed a win yet in the opening two rounds of the Trans Tasman competition, with New Zealand opposition winning each match by an average of 20 points.
"This week is about getting a response and changing a little bit of the conversation out there around Australian teams and New Zealand teams," McKellar said.
"We can only control what the Brumbies do, we feel like we've got a responsibility to the game and we let ourselves down on Saturday night [against the Chiefs].
"A lot of it's between the ears, you've got to turn up with physical intent. We understand you're not going to win in New Zealand without having a real thirst for that physical contact in that collision area. We've got to be better there."
A win for the Brumbies would give them something to bring back from New Zealand before home games against the Hurricanes and Highlanders close out their season.
"We were a kick away from a famous draw in Christchurch and not too many have gone there and won or had any success, then we had a disappointing performance last week," McKellar said.
"You see everyone's true character when it's backs against the wall and times are a bit tough. We've just got to stick tight, work hard and understand if you do that you give yourself a chance of turning things around. Last week in Hamilton just wasn't good enough.
"It would be another famous away win and that's something we've spoken a lot about over the last couple of months. The special wins are on the road, you go back to the Bulls in Pretoria in 2018, Newlands against the Stormers in 2019.
"Those sorts of wins are the ones that you really cherish and remember forever and it'll be no different at Eden Park."
MORE BRUMBIES NEWS
McKellar has shuffled his side around for Saturday's blockbuster, bringing Connal McInerney in at hooker for Lachlan Lonergan, who has been left out of the squad.
Folau Fainga'a will make his return off the bench.
Wallaby Nic White returns at scrum half from a hip flexor injury, while Cusack will start at openside flanker, shifting Rob Valetini to blindside and Henry Stowers to number eight.
"The Blues have got talent, individual athletes across the park, they like to play an offload game and play on the front foot and we've got to defend well and put them under pressure at set piece and through our intent around the collision defensively," McKellar said.
"It's hard to offload when you're not dominating the contact area. It's a huge part of our defensive strategy this week.
"There's a number of different threats that they have, we've just got to be on song. They've got back rowers that have the skill set of outside backs, big outside backs as well.
"It's not one or two, they're across the park. We know if we defend to our standard, turn up with the intent that we normally front up with, we think we can well and truly win this game.
"Last week we just mentally weren't where we needed to be. That'll be different Saturday night, I know we'll get a result."
BLUES v BRUMBIES, Saturday, 5.15pm AEST at Eden Park
1. Scott Sio
2. Connal McInerney
3. Allan Alaalatoa (c)
4. Darcy Swain
5. Nick Frost
6. Rob Valetini
7.Tom Cusack
8. Henry Stowers
9. Nic White
10. Noah Lolesio
11. Tom Wright
12. Irae Simone
13. Len Ikitau
14. Solomone Kata
15. Tom Banks
REPLACEMENTS
16. Folau Fainga'a
17. Harry Lloyd
18. Sefo Kautai
19. Tom Hooper
20. Luke Reimer
21. Ryan Lonergan
22. Bayley Kuenzle
23. Mack Hansen
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.
