'It's huge for us': Brumby James Slipper hopes for Canberra Stadium crowds increase

The Brumbies and Canberra Raiders have started discussions with the ACT government to lift crowd capacity at the venue, with both clubs likely to host finals next month.

Crowds at Canberra Stadium are currently capped at 1500 patrons due to COVID-19 restrictions, but given there's been no new virus cases in 45 days that could be eased in the coming weeks.

Slipper hopes the crowd capacity will increase with Super Rugby AU finals just three weeks away, saying the Brumbies are spurred on by their fans.

"It's huge for us as players. We can definitely sense the fans in the stadium," Slipper said.

"We haven't been able to have many this year, 2020 has been a bit of a disaster year but we can definitely hear them and they get us over the line.

"As a playing group we spoke about playing for our community at the start of the year. That's what we love seeing, the community at the stadium, so hopefully the numbers increase."

The race to the Super Rugby AU finals is hanging by a knife's edge, with the Brumbies only two points clear to the top of the standings.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has seen drastic improvement in Australian teams over the course of the season, backing the nation's involvement in a future Super Rugby competition.

Relations between the trans-Tasman nations have soured since the publication of a New Zealand Rugby review, which recommended only two Australian teams be invited to join an eight-team competition in a replacement Super Rugby competition from 2021.

If a tournament was organised along the lines suggested, Australia would lose three of its current Super Rugby teams.

Foster entered the debate on Sunday as a diplomat, saying a new format is needed and Australia should be part of any solution

"The difference between their first couple of rounds to their last couple has been dramatic," Foster said.

"From an All Blacks coach's perspective we've seen a significant rise in standard in their competition. That bodes well for a Super competition but also for us as we head into a Bledisloe series.

"...we need variety in the competition. We've got five really strong franchises here and enough talent to fill that five.

"But adding a few more from Australia in whatever format and whatever number is a logical step."