"Slip up once and you're done". The fear factor is shaping as one of the most powerful tools in the ACT Brumbies' arsenal as they send a statement to their Super W rivals.
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An 11-try blitz has seen the Brumbies surge into Super W finals contention with a dominant 69-0 thrashing of the Melbourne Rebels at Seiffert Oval on Sunday.
The Brumbies have rebounded from an opening round loss in which they were held scoreless to move into second on the table with a win over a severely outmatched Melbourne outfit.
"You've got to take every opportunity with both hands, because you slip up once and you're done in this competition," Brumbies coach Adam Butt said.
"It's definitely a confidence boost and we know if we get to our game plan and we execute, then we can put points on the board.
"We got them early so it made it a bit easier. We just wanted to concentrate on winning that gain line. Win the gain line and it's just much easier to get to our structure and to open the defence up."
Brumbies No. 8 Tayla Stanford lit up the Rebels defence with a first half hat-trick to give the hosts an insurmountable 40-0 buffer at the break.
But it was another ACT star that left Butt in awe as the Brumbies tore shreds off the Rebels to claim a crucial victory in the five-round competition.
"Michelle Perry was excellent, her leadership at times when it got a bit scrappy, her hole running is exactly what we need," Butt said.
"She's timeless, she's ageless, she's awesome. She was excellent."
Perry crossed twice in the Brumbies' barrage, which looms as the perfect morale booster heading into a bye week followed by two crucial games against Queensland and Western Australia.
The Rebels have now dropped their opening two games by a combined score of 181-0 in a sobering reflection of the game's standing in Australian rules-mad Victoria.
Butt concedes there will be no quick fix to help the Rebels get back on their feet after being trounced by Queensland and the ACT in the opening fortnight with a nightmare injury toll cruelling Melbourne's campaign.
"The depth isn't there in some of the states outside NSW and Queensland, and once you get a few injuries it hurts you," Butt said.
"They've had a massive injury toll and that has really hurt them. I know they lost about three out of our first trial and that hurt their set piece. They lost a few more last week as well."
ACT BRUMBIES 69 (Stanford 3, Wilton 2, Crothers 2, Perry 2, Read tries, penalty try; Wood 5, McDonald cons) bt MELBOURNE REBELS 0 at Seiffert Oval.
