The Brumbies will welcome back several key stars for a crucial clash this weekend - and should the side overcome a tough Crusaders outfit, they could be set to commence their qualifying finals with even more returning stars.
The Super Rugby top three will be decided on Friday night, with the Chiefs heading to Dunedin to face the last-placed Highlanders - with a win all but securing the Hamilton side top spot.
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Regardless of that result, a potential home semi final will be on the table for the winner of the clash in Canberra.
Noah Lolesio headlines the key returns for the Brumbies this weekend, with Declan Meredith shifting back to the bench after a strong showing against the Reds.
Feao Fotuaika will come into the front row with Allan Alaalatoa sidelined, while Tuaina Taii Tualima slides into the loose forwards, with Tom Hooper shifting into the second row - completing the only changes.
However, while the Brumbies come into the clash having won four of their past five games, fresh off a bye and topping the charts across the competition in terms of carries, rucks won and lineouts won, head coach Stephen Larkham is under no illusion of the challenge the Crusaders pose.
“We know the importance of finishing in the top two and securing that home semi-final, it puts you in a better position to go deep into the competition," Larkham said to reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
"However, we know there is still a lot of work to do before then.
“The Crusaders have improved on their consistency from last year. They’ve had a few changes in terms of guys coming back from injury and performing. We’ll see a settled team and they’ll be trying to prepare a team that will see them all the way through the finals.”
The Brumbies broke a 12-match losing streak to the Canterbury outfit at this corresponding fixture last year, however, the Crusaders are a much improved side under Rob Penney in 2025.
Not only will the match be critical in the context of the wider Super Rugby season, but it will also feature several interesting head-to-head clashes - including winger Corey Toole, with nine tries this season and the most line breaks in the competition going lining up against Sevu Reece, who broke the competition's try scoring record last week.
"Teams at the top of the competition, you'd expect to have good set-piece, they're showing that," Larkham added.
"Very dangerous with their scrum and their maul.
"Their line-out stats, their scrum stats, are pretty equivalent to us. They exit really well, they've got really good variation in their exits. They've got a really good long-kicking game.
"They've also got some really good contestable contests that they're putting into the game. Hard at the breakdown, pretty good line-speed team and hard at the breakdown. Kind of what you'd expect to see from teams at the top of the competition, good all-round."
However, should the Brumbies pull off a win and finish in the top two for the first time since their successful title win in 2004, a result against the Crusaders and a potential home semi final could put the side in an even better position.
Several players, including Wallabies Allan Alaalatoa and Charlie Cale, are slated to make their returns in qualifying finals, while talented Australia U20 star Tevita Alatini is also expected to be available.
Even better, the playmaker stocks could also rise for the Canberra side, with veteran Jack Debreczeni cleared from injury but not named in the side this weekend.
However, it might prove to be a headache for Larkham as to where to include them in the side for the finals.
"We've got most of our guys back in, but certainly we want to have continuity going into the finals," he said to reporters.
"I think you want to get that continuity rolling before you get to the finals, so it's a good opportunity for us this week.
"We think it's the best team that we've got going out on the field this week, we want to see if that combination really works for us."
The other big news for the Brumbies this week is the re-signing of veteran James Slipper for another year.
Larkham admitted that while several players' contracts are still under negotiation in the background, the departure of several key stars at the end of the year could mean 2025 serves as an ideal window to push for a title.
"He is instrumental in everything that happens here, both on the field and off the field," Larkham said of the Wallaby star.
"Very no-nonsense about his game. I think he's playing his best footy this year.
"The amount of experience that he brings into the organisation, into the environment, and then how that rubs off on the younger players, it's going to be really important to keep those sorts of players around because there will be a changing obviously next year.
"Tom Hooper going, Lenny Ikitau going, Noah [Lolesio] going.
"We're going to need those experienced guys to make sure that the leadership is still there and they're passing on that knowledge to the younger players."
