Stephen Larkham warns ACT Brumbies need to flip the script or get battered in Super Rugby clash with Rebels

The Brumbies coach says his side failed to deliver in the physical battle as they fell to a five-point defeat against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday night.

Now Larkham is urging his troops to lift their intensity when they travel to face the Melbourne Rebels next week, desperate to shore up their place in the top four.

The Rebels are anchored to 11^th on the competition ladder but Larkham fears the Brumbies could be in for a rude awakening if they dish up what was on the menu against the Hurricanes.

"In the contact area, we weren't where we need to be. The majority of the contact areas were passive from us," Larkham said.

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"We'll have a good look at it. We got a bit lucky with a couple of those turnovers. We certainly want to get better with our turnovers. Out of the first eight rounds, I think we're down the list in terms of tries from turnovers.

"The contact area, the breakdown, and then some kick stuff, I wasn't particularly happy with that. Our strategy and execution wasn't as good as it needed to be.

"The physical battle was lost, well and truly, by the second half. The Rebels have shown really good physicality in their game so far, we've played them twice, in September last year and a trial this year, and they were really physical.

"It was a step up when we came against those guys. That's going to be a challenge for us as well. We've got two New Zealand teams to go, plus the Rebels. We've got some challenges around that contact area coming up, for sure."

The Brumbies, who fear Ben O'Donnell will be lost for the season with an anterior cruciate ligament tear, will avoid another trip across the Tasman until a potential finals clash, but will face the Highlanders and Chiefs on the road to the playoffs.

Bringing down a New Zealand-based side on their own home turf has proven impossible for Australian sides so far this season, with their Kiwi rivals boasting an 8-0 record in those battles.

Brumbies lock Nick Frost, who is in the sights of Rugby Australia for a long-term contract extension, played a starring role against the Hurricanes but was left wanting as the wheels fell off late in the contest.

"It was intense. It always is when playing a Kiwi side over here, the Hurricanes had a lot to play for," Frost said.

"It's just different styles, it's not an extreme difference. There's definitely physicality when we play the Australian teams, the Tahs, the Reds in those big derbies.

"It felt like the ball was in play longer. They like to play quick, that's how the Kiwi teams play, they want to keep the ball in play and throw the ball around.

"There's a few key learnings, we'll have a good review and look over the key moments in the second half. There were a few execution things we didn't do too well that let us down. We'll have a lot at that intent and execution. Maybe a few calls there.

"After the maul try we felt like we were coming home with a wet sail like most of this year. We back ourselves to finish the game, we didn't tonight. The game was there to be won, the last 15 minutes the wheels kind of fell off."

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