They've had their home match stripped away and conceded 126 points in the past two games, but the ACT Brumbies still consider the Japanese Sunwolves as one of the most dangerous attacking sides in Super Rugby.
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The Sunwolves have struggled through what will be the franchise's last year in Super Rugby, having won just one of their first four matches this season.
Coronavirus fears have made matters worse and forced Super Rugby bosses to relocate two of their matches, with the Sunwolves now preparing to meet the Brumbies in Wollongong this Friday.
The odds are stacked in the Brumbies' favour, but Dan McKellar's men know more than most what it takes to turn a season around.
The Brumbies were one from four at the same point of the competition last year, before rising to the top of the Australian conference and making the semi-finals.
The scenario is still fresh in Brumbies prop Scott Sio's mind and that's why he's marked the Sunwolves as a dangerous outfit.
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"We're not reading too much into it. We were in a similar position this time last season and managed to turn it around," Sio said.
"The Sunwolves have the capability to do that and they're quite a tough outfit when they get going. It only takes one week to turn a season around, so we've got to make sure we're on a best with our preparation both mentally and physically heading into the game."
The Japanese outfit will be eager to put their season back on track after suffering a 64-15 loss to the Queensland Reds on Saturday.
The bye week has given the Brumbies time to heal any injuries and recover from an outbreak of mumps, with Tom Wright, Tom Cusack, Mack Hansen and Darcy Swain returning to the fold.
The club hosted a fan day on their return to training at the University of Canberra on Sunday, with the players signing autographs and greeting members of the community.
There was plenty of support for McKellar's men given their fast start to the Super Rugby season. They've won three of four matches and sit comfortably on top of the Australian conference despite a deluge of off-field distractions.
They've had to cope with extreme heat, bushfire smoke, storms and the recent coronavirus outbreak has forced them to make another adjustment.
But the move from Osaka to Wollongong works in their favour. Instead of preparing for an away match in Japan, they'll embark on an easier road trip to the Illawarra region with fresh bodies.
Scrumhalf Joe Powell says the Brumbies have taken confidence in meeting the Sunwolves on Australian soil, given their historically dangerous form in Japan.
"It was probably better for us because we only have to go a few hours up the road instead of a couple of flights to Japan, so we'll definitely take that," Powell said.
"The Sunwolves are a pretty dangerous team, especially in Japan, so it's good to play them closer to home.
"They haven't had two of their best games recently but they're a dangerous side, they proved that in round one against the Rebels.
"We're definitely not taking them lightly because they're a dangerous attacking team, if they get an early run they're really hard to stop.
"We've spoken about what we've been doing well. A few things finally began to click in our game against the Chiefs, we started to play how we want to play so it's about continuing to do that."
SUPER RUGBY ROUND SIX
Friday: Japan Sunwolves v ACT Brumbies at Wollongong, 2.45pm.
Lucie Bertoldo
Lucie Bertoldo is a sports reporter for the Canberra Times.
Lucie Bertoldo is a sports reporter for the Canberra Times.
