'The top six inches' stand between ACT Brumbies and Super W final

The Brumbies meet the Reds in a Super W semi-final at Concord Oval on Sunday, with the winner to face either the NSW Waratahs or Fijian Drua in the decider.

The ACT have never beaten any of those sides in competition history - but the pressure of finals football can do funny things.

Now coach Scott Fava is confident the Brumbies can cause an upset with their season on the line.

"If the pressure is on, are you thinking about your exit and whether you're not playing next week?" Fava said.

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"That all comes into calculation. There's that ticket to Townsville. It's the knockout, it's the pressure.

"There's a lot in terms of that mental aspect that we look at that changes once you're into finals mode. We could be all done by next week, and we don't want to be done.

"That first 20 minutes is going to be crucial, trying to get a lead and trying to stamp our authority from a physicality point of view is going to be the main part.

"Then we're hopefully seeing a Reds side that won't catch us and won't keep up with us."

Which brings Fava to the domino effect.

The Brumbies need someone to get over the advantage line, someone to rack up post-contact metres like they're going out of style.

So they look to centre pairing Siokapesi Palu and Sarah Riordan, and Tabua Tuinakauvadra, who shifts to lock this week.

"They're our real power women. They're the girls that lead us forward," Fava said.

When you're rolling forward, you dominate field position. That's when the points can start piling up - and the Brumbies have a sharpshooter in their ranks.

Flyhalf Faitala Moleka converted all six of the Brumbies' tries in a win over the Western Force which secured a semi-final berth, and was ice cool under pressure to put the ACT ahead in a nail-biter against Melbourne a week prior.

"It could be a penalty goal in the 78th minute that makes the difference," Fava said.

"We've got that confidence in her hitting the ball from all areas of the field. It also enables us to build pressure through points."

The Brumbies feel like they have a point to prove. Never in competition history have they beaten the Reds.

Now they take on Queensland's imposing pack without World Cup-winning prop Amy Rule, opening the door for Sally Fuesaina to earn her first start at loosehead prop, while Alyce Solaese nabs a start at blindside flanker.

Elite development squad player Martha Fua is set to make her Brumbies debut off the bench. Like Palu and Riordan, she brings that same devastating carry and intent in defence.

"She's come up from the actual development squad, she's got something she wants to prove and we're about to see that in the game," Palu said.

"It's the first time we're actually about to take to the field for a semi-final game. We know what we're coming against and we've been working hard in the whiteboard sessions throughout the week and we've just got to make sure we build on that.

"It was a tough start obviously, with the three losses in a row at the beginning. In saying that, the actual quality of the game has been quite full-on from the beginning."

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