What's pressure? ACT Brumbies flyhalf Noah Lolesio set for Super Rugby AU finals

What's that when you consider the pressure Noah Lolesio found himself under when he was practising his goal kicking at Brumbies headquarters on Monday afternoon?

Because standing to his left were a handful of kids who had raced onto the field to watch him line up goal attempts at the club's open training session, kicking off a week that ends with a must-win qualifying final against the Western Force at Canberra Stadium.

Some kids even made a beeline towards the tee and tried to boot the ball off the tee before being whisked away by their parents as a smiling Lolesio waited to begin his stride.

"I probably felt more pressure out there with the kids right next to me than in a filled stadium," Lolesio said.

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"It was pretty cool. I nearly kicked one kid in the head which was a bit risky, but it's awesome having our fans here watching us train.

"It's unreal, it shows we're playing well and supporters are getting behind us. Hopefully we can get a big crowd this weekend.

"We're ready to go, we've had a nice rest. All the boys got to get back home, I certainly did and it was really nice, but we're ready to rip in for the next couple of weeks."

Lolesio enters his second finals campaign in as many seasons though the lead-up to Saturday's blockbuster looks vastly different to last year.

The 21-year-old playmaker had spent almost a full domestic season on the sidelines before returning to orchestrate the Brumbies' thrilling grand final win in September.

Now Lolesio has a full season behind him as he prepares to call the shots for a Brumbies outfit determined to get another shot at the top-ranked Queensland Reds in next week's decider.

"It's just nice not being injured, touch wood. I'm feeling pretty good," Lolesio said.

"Obviously last year was pretty big, coming back for a grand final game after missing out on 10 weeks, but I'm very confident that I've got a good season behind me now and I'm ready to rip in for the finals.

"I always try to treat every game the same, and just do my job for the team. Everyone does their own job and hopefully the result will look after itself. I'm not trying to build pressure into any game, it's just a game of footy at the end of the day.

"I've always known the Force have been a really good team. Ever since we played them in round one, the scoreboard might not have reflected that, but they've got a really good side.

"A solid squad too, they've got some depth, so I'm sure they'll be coming out really full of energy, especially after that win in WA."

The Western Force received word on Monday afternoon they would be able to get out and about in Canberra from midnight after Perth went into lockdown.

Force coach Tim Sampson told The Canberra Times the club would likely use Viking Park as a training base this week after arriving in the capital on Sunday.

Sampson coached the Tuggeranong Vikings in the John I Dent Cup and the Canberra Vikings in the National Rugby Championship before scoring an opportunity in the west.

Now he returns to Canberra looking to spoil the party for another pair of Queenslanders turned Vikings, as Brumbies coach Dan McKellar and Lolesio dream of back-to-back titles.

SUPER RUGBY AU QUALIFYING FINAL

Saturday: ACT Brumbies v Western Force at Canberra Stadium, 7.45pm. Tickets from Ticketek. Broadcast: Live on Gem and Stan Sport.

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