'It will be big': Ikitau warming towards Wallabies return

Ikitau missed last year's Rugby World Cup due to a shoulder injury and had a slow start to the Super Rugby Pacific season due to a knee problem.

But he's put that behind him with a brace of tries in the Brumbies' hard-fought 28-20 victory over the Fijian Drua at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.

He also produced an important steal at the breakdown in the closing minutes - as the Drua pressed - to help ensure there wasn't a frantic finish.

The 25-year-old is one of the best outside centres in Australia, but a broken shoulder scuppered his World Cup hopes last year.

He picked up a knee problem in the Brumbies' win over the Otago Highlanders earlier this season, which contributed to his slow start.

But he's started to hit his straps, combining nicely with his centre partner Tamati Tua in the Drua win.

He got on the end of the inside centre's lovely grubber kick in behind the Drua defensive line to score his second on Saturday - as he felt their partnership was starting to grow.

Ikitau will look to keep that form going for the rest of the Super season, including a likely finals campaign, to return to the Wallabies fold under new Australia coach Joe Schmidt.

"It was not the start that I wanted this year. I started slow and then I got injured," Ikitau said.

"So for me I've just come back and played my part in the Brums team and helping us go forward, reaching the finals, and I think the rest will just take care of itself."

That starts with the Brumbies' grudge match against the NSW Waratahs at Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday.

Rivalry aside, it's a massive game for the Brumbies given the top-two teams - the Auckland Blues and Wellington Hurricanes - face each other as well.

That opens the door for the third-placed Canberra team to close the gap on a crucial finish in the first two.

Luke Reimer came off the bench to play a crucial role in the final 20 minutes.

He produced two critical turnovers as the Fijians pressed before scoring the match-sealing try.

The flanker said he took greater pride in the pilfers - given he'd identified that as an area he could make an impact off the bench.

He was looking forward to a massive game against the Tahs.

"It will be big, at [the Sydney Football Stadium] as well. Last year's season opener was big, we got a massive crowd and [the Waratahs] turned up," Reimer said.

"They'll be hungry after a couple of losses on the trot. We can't take them lightly.

"It will be a big week going in. A big recovery focus so we can go into Monday and Tuesday really humming.

"Get a few plays together and really look at what we're going to do to attack the Tahs in the areas where we see opportunity."

Saturday: ACT Brumbies v Fijian Drua at the Sydney Football Stadium, 7.35pm.