'Silky' fullback Jake Strachan brings the X-factor for Western Force

"We don't call him Silky for nothing," Force captain Kyle Godwin said.

Strachan will make his first start of the Super Rugby AU season when the stakes are as high as they have ever been for his club, in an elimination final against the ACT Brumbies.

The 24-year-old flyer was considered a selection bombshell when Tim Sampson named him in the No. 15 jersey for Saturday night's clash at Canberra Stadium.

With veteran Rob Kearney sidelined by injury, Jack McGregor seemed most likely to fill the void. But now Strachan is poised to inject the X-factor into a Force side hunting for an upset.

MORE RUGBY UNION

"Jake Strachan is an amazing player. As a team, we have got so much confidence in him," Godwin said.

"He is by far one of the most skillful players in our team. We have got huge confidence in him, we know he has got the ability to go and play some unbelievable rugby, and I'm sure he is going to do that.

"When he gets on the field he is very demanding. He is definitely going to be a great voice.

"I've been training with him all week and his comms outside me have been excellent. I'm sure he is going to produce the same sort of communication [on Saturday] night."

Saturday marks the Force's maiden finals appearance throughout a checkered Super Rugby existence.

Twelve months ago the Force were a ghost of Super Rugby's past, culled from the competition in 2017 before being resurrected for the AU iteration.

They went winless last season but earned another crack. Little more than a week ago a finals berth seemed unlikely before they shocked the unbeaten Reds, who await Saturday's winner in next week's decider.

They are the dreamers that could. So it is fitting Godwin will be the man to lead them this weekend - but rarely could he have imagined leading the Force into a final.

"I probably thought about it once in a while, when I was probably daydreaming in class when I should have been focusing," Godwin said.

"When the Force started with its inception in 2006, it became my No. 1 team and I've supported them from day dot. To be able to represent them is just huge for me.

"We're not here to just make numbers up, we really want to go out there to put in a good performance and get the win. The boys are nervous but we're very excited for the challenge."

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.

ACT Brumbies squad: 1. James Slipper, 2. Folau Fainga'a, 3. Allan Alaalatoa (c), 4. Darcy Swain, 5. Cadeyrn Neville, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Rory Scott, 8. Pete Samu, 9. Nic White, 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Tom Wright, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Andy Muirhead, 15. Tom Banks. Replacements: 16. Lachlan Lonergan, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Tom Ross, 19. Nick Frost, 20. Luke Reimer, 21. Ryan Lonergan, 22. Reesjan Pasitoa, 23. Mack Hansen.

Western Force squad: 1. Tom Robertson, 2. Feleti Kaitu'u, 3. Santiago Medrano, 4. Jeremy Thrush, 5. Sitaleki Timani, 6. Fergus Lee-Warner, 7. Kane Koteka, 8. Brynard Stander, 9. Tomas Cubelli, 10. Domingo Miotto, 11. Jorda Olowofela, 12. Kyle Godwin (c), 13. Richard Kahui, 14. Toni Pulu, 15. Jake Strachan. Replacements: 16. Andrew Ready, 17. Angus Wagner, 18. Greg Holmes, 19. Ryan McCauley, 20. Tim Anstee, 21. Ian Prior, 22. Henry Taefu, 23. Jack McGregor.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: