Poor discipline proved costly when the two sides faced off in Canberra last month, the visitors escaping with a 21-19 victory at the death.

The Brumbies' defeat came as they lost the penalty count 16-5, forwards Folau Fainga'a and Darcy Swain receiving yellow cards throughout the contest.

It was a similar story in Saturday's quarter-final victory over the Hurricanes, referee Paul Williams not hesitating to penalise the home side throughout the first half.

The Brumbies adjusted after the break and both the penalty count and scoreboard reflected their improved accuracy at the breakdown.

A 42^nd-minute penalty goal to Jordie Barrett marked the visitors' only points of the second half, ACT scoring 20 unanswered points to secure a 35-25 victory.

Given the performance on Saturday night, the Brumbies are confident they can claim their first victory at Eden Park since 2013 and book a spot in the Super Rugby Pacific grand final if they take the referee out of the equation.

Brumbies flyhalf Noah Lolesio knows how close they came the last time they met the Blues.

"We were probably a ruck or two away from winning that game. It would've been a famous victory in Canberra," he said.

"We took a lot of lessons from that. Obviously we've got to be more disciplined. The penalty count wasn't favouring us at all.

"We don't really want the boys to back out if they feel like they can grab the ball and have the opportunity to make a difference.

"It's just choosing the right times, when to go for the ball.

"We're always going to get penalised in games, that's the nature of footy, but if we can somehow trim them, it will put us in a really good spot to get a result."

For hooker Lachlan Lonergan, the first step towards avoiding a lopsided penalty count is winning the battle at the breakdown.

From there, the pack can lay the foundation in both attack and defence and put the side on the front foot.

That is easier said than done, however, the Blues boasting an intimidating pack that has dominated Australian and New Zealand opposition all season.

The Brumbies are likely to receive a major boost, with punishing flanker Rob Valetini expected to return from injury on Saturday night.

A significant challenge still remains, but the Brumbies forwards are confident they can make a statement at Eden Park.

"We've just got to be smart," Lonergan said.

"They're big boys, they've got a big forward pack, a big backline as well, so we've got to play smart.

"I'm sure the backs will be talking about kicking a lot, we're talking about the breakdown and winning collisions, being physical.

"At the end of the day, that's what footy is. Whoever's more physical is going to win."

The Brumbies' desire to remain disciplined stretches beyond the breakdown, with high contact again under the spotlight.

ACT centre Len Ikitau was sent-off for a high shot in the 21^st minute, earning himself a red card, while just moments later Owen Franks only received a yellow for a similar tackle on Lolesio.

MORE A.C.T. BRUMBIES NEWS:

Franks' shot forced Lolesio off the field for a head injury assessment, which he later passed.

The Brumbies' No.10 steered clear of commenting on the apparent inconsistency in decisions on Saturday night.

He admitted he was "not really an expert" on those types of situations but said he thought, at the time, the red card was "a bit harsh".

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: