Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said his team is playing the sort of football to win finals after the Canberra dispatched the Waratahs in dominant fashion at Bankwest Stadium.
The Brumbies locked down the Australian conference with a week to spare, retained the Dan Vickerman Cup and all-but ended the Waratahs’ season with a 35-24 victory.
It was an emphatic statement by comfortably the best team in Australia this season side but McKellar’s men were left to rue a try on the final siren by NSW winger Curtis Rona, which served to deny the Brumbies a bonus point.
That may or may not prove to be costly given the Brumbies and the Jaguares are battling for the all-important second spot on the ladder, which can provide two home finals instead of one.
The Brumbies will feel confident they can win at any venue, though, if they replicate the form shown against the Waratahs - certainly in the first half.
Up against a team who needed to win to keep their finals hopes alive, the Brumbies overwhelmed the Waratahs and scored four tries in the opening 40 minutes.
Showing their under-rated variety, the Brumbies scored three through their backs and only one through Folau Faingaa and the rolling maul.
The Waratahs fought back in the second half and scored twice to make it 28-17 with ten minutes left, but a try to Tom Cusack sealed the deal thereafter. Strong defence in the dying minutes appeared to have done enough to hold onto the bonus point but Rona’s scoot down the left wing was a late blow.
It didn’t dampen McKellar’s enthusiasm, though, ahead of last-round clash against the Reds next week in Canberra.
"It was pretty good wasn’t it? It was pretty positive rugby,” McKellar said.
"We were nice and direct when we had to be and took our opportunities and space when we had to be. The Tahs are a quality side. They came out in the second half and challenged us and put us under pressure
"We didn’t have it all our way in the second half but we were pretty good in the first half. They (wins over NSW) are all satisfying because they’re tough. We respect them. They’re a good side.
"They’re all pleasing, especially when we were away from home. They had to win to keep their season alive and we fronted up and delivered. That was pleasing.”
The Brumbies have now booked a home final, and asked if he believed the Brumbies were playing a brand of rugby that could win playoff games, McKellar said: "Yeah definitely.”
"On anyone’s day, the Brumbies or whoever it is, once you get into that top eight and if you have confidence and momentum and belief in how you’re playing, then any team is going to be dangerous,” he said.
"And I don’t think we are any different.
"The important thing at this time of year is keeping getting your preparation right, keep building momentum and confidence. As everyone knows, if you take that into the finals series it’s a good thing to have.”
The Waratahs’ season is now all-but over. They remain a mathematical chance of squeaking into eighth place but would have to - for starters - beat the Highlanders with a bonus point in Invercargill in the last round, and also rely on other results.
"We’re disappointed,” Waratahs no.10 Bernard Foley said.
"We did exactly what we didn’t want to do in that first half, we wanted to deny them that set piece platform, we didn’t want to deny them territory or entry into their gold zone and strike zone and we allowed them, so really disappointing.
"To then show the spirit in that second half was great for the side, but to be down 28-3 at half time doesn’t help anyone."
Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson said the resting of Wallabies players would be part of his plans for the last round.
Up to five may miss the trip.
"That’s something that will come into our consideration around selection next week,” Gibson said.
"It’s really important for our team that we finish the season well, and what we saw in the second half was more representative of what we started out the season wanting to achieve and that was some real right and tenacity in our defence, we saw that, we won that second half but obviously things were very difficult at that stage to come back from that.”
Waratahs to face Brumbies
Waratahs to face Brumbies
1. Tom Robertson
2. Damien Fitzpatrick
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Tom Staniforth
5. Rob Simmons
6. Lachlan Swinton
7. Michael Hooper
8. Michael Wells
9. Nick Phipps
10. Bernard Foley
11. Curtis Rona
12. Lalakai Foketi
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Alex Newsome
15. Kurtley Beale
Reserves
16. Tolu Latu
17. Harry Johnson-Holmes
18. Chris Talakai
19. Jed Holloway
20. Will Miller
21. Jake Gordon
22. Tautalatasi Tasi
23. Cam Clark
Brumbies to face Waratahs
1. James Slipper
2. Folau Fainga’a
3. Allan Alaalatoa
4. Rory Arnold
5. Sam Carter
6. Rob Valetini
7. Tom Cusack
8. Pete Samu
9. Joe Powell
10. Christian Lealiifano
11. Toni Pulu
12. Irae Simone
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Andy Muirhead
15. Tom Banks
Reserves
16. Connal Mcinerney
17. Scott Sio
18. Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin
19. Darcy Swain
20. Lachlan Mccaffrey
21. Jahrome Brown
22. Matt Lucas
23. Tom Wright
