This is why the ACT Brumbies' first trip across the Tasman in almost 12 months feels so different. It's why they arrive in Hamilton confident they can dethrone the Waikato Chiefs on Saturday.

Because there is a sense things are just starting to click for the second-placed Brumbies as they brace for their toughest challenge of the Super Rugby Pacific season in a top-four showdown.

Little more than 12 months ago the Brumbies travelled to New Zealand for a task you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. They were battered by injuries but somehow had to pick up the pieces from a gut-wrenching grand final loss and take on the three best Kiwi sides on their own turf.

It started with so much promise, but after a two-point loss to the Crusaders they conceded 78 points in the space of two weeks.

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"I remember we were missing Slippy [Slipper], we were missing Pistol [Samu], who else? It hurt us, definitely up front," Swain said.

But now? The cavalry is coming back in droves. Alaalatoa will make his return from a neck injury off the bench, Frost is back as Dan McKellar opts for a six-two bench split. All this after Noah Lolesio and Cadeyrn Neville timed their own comebacks to perfection.

"We haven't had Allan for these past few games but the work Sefo [Kautai] has been doing, Sefo has been unreal locking down the scrum. Off the back of that, we can play good footy," Swain said.

"When Allan comes back, that's going to add so much to our scrum and the confidence. We've just got to keep moving forward."

While Alaalatoa bolsters the Brumbies' scrum, the return of Frost is perhaps just as crucial for the lineout.

Swain and Frost are part of a four-man lock rotation in this week's squad. Swain starts alongside Neville while Frost offers relief from the bench alongside Tom Hooper.

The Brumbies and Chiefs have won more lineouts than any other Super Rugby side with 139 apiece, though this week's hosts have a 10-9 edge in stolen lineouts.

However the home side's defence will need to be on song at set piece time, with the Brumbies scoring 27 tries with possession starting from a lineout this season. That's six more than any other team in the competition and 10 more than the Chiefs.

The Brumbies will stop short of calling their first trip to New Zealand a revenge mission after going 0-3 across the ditch last year.

But winger Tom Wright says "there is definitely a burning sensation there". The Brumbies have beaten Kiwi teams back-to-back for the first time since 2014 and they are desperate to claim a scalp on the road.

It would be an epic statement of their championship credentials, which are alive and well after McKellar's coaching staff tweaked their approach to tackling Kiwi sides this year.

"They've done all the work behind the scenes as to where we can improve and where we have been good. It's been the work at training they've been drilling into us and the lads have been committing to it," Swain said.

"There's a few subtle changes around the way we're trying to attack, and especially the way we're defending as well.

"The boys are just ripping in at training and off the back of a good training week, we've prepared ourselves well to play. It's just a continuous cycle. It's another challenge for us this week, doing it on the back of a big day of travel.

"If you see the results in what you're doing and they're positive, what we've been drilling in training and what we've been having a lot of discussions around is working and paying off on both sides of the ball.

"At maul time we've done a lot of work. We didn't get a lot of pay at the start of the season with our maul, but even just one try on the weekend and then another couple we set up off the back of our maul, everything we've been drilling at training is going to keep building.

"That's the challenge we have now, to not get ahead of ourselves, keep our head down and work hard to keep getting better."

SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC ROUND 12

Saturday: Waikato Chiefs v ACT Brumbies at Waikato Stadium, 5.05pm (AEST). Broadcast live on Stan Sport.

Brumbies team: 1. James Slipper, 2. Folau Fainga'a, 3. Sefo Kautai, 4. Darcy Swain, 5. Cadeyrn Neville, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Jahrome Brown, 8. Pete Samu, 9. Nic White (c), 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Andy Muirhead, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Tom Wright. 15. Tom Banks. Reserves: 16. Billy Pollard, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Allan Alaalatoa, 19. Nick Frost, 20. Tom Hooper, 21. Rory Scott, 22. Ryan Lonergan, 23. Ollie Sapsford.

Chiefs team: 1. Aidan Ross, 2. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3. Angus Ta'avao, 4. Josh Lord, 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Luke Jacobson, 7. Sam Cane (c), 8. Pita Gus Sowakula, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Bryn Gatland, 11. Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12. Quinn Tupaea, 13. Alex Nankivell, 14. Jonah Lowe, 15. Kaleb Trask. Reserves: 16. Bradley Slater, 17. Ollie Norris, 18. Atu Moli, 19. Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20. Samipeni Finau, 21. Xavier Roe, 22. Rameka Poihipi, 23. Emoni Narawa.

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