Brumbies dealt a double injury blow as Waratahs look to ignite rivalry

Rhys van Nek and Liam Bowron join the Brumbies' bench in what looms as a major test against a Waratahs side bolstered by the arrival of Wallabies prop Pone Fa'amausili.

Slipper [back] and Pollard [knee] were ruled out on Thursday, days before the Brumbies chase their 13^th straight win over the Waratahs when they meet at the Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday.

The spotlight will be on the Brumbies' scrum as the Waratahs - who have beaten the ACT just once in the past eight years - lay down the challenge in the hope of reviving their Super Rugby Pacific campaign.

The Waratahs beat the Brumbies eight times from 12 attempts from 2010 to 2015, with a 2014 semi-final win the high water mark, but the ACT have dominated the match-up since.

When Brumbies chairman Matt Nobbs stoked the fire by offering to shout opposition fans a beer if the Waratahs could finally end years of frustration and heartache, some wondered if the rivalry still had a pulse.

Players will tell you it's the game they look for when they get their hands on the Super Rugby fixture every year. Darcy Swain says beating the Waratahs is still as sweet as ever.

So, how does the rivalry stack up compared to the days Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham was on the park and not halfway up the grandstand?

"A little bit different," Larkham said, "but we know how important this game is for both teams.

"They're not where they want to be on the ladder, and we're not where we want to be on the ladder either.

"There's always lots of emotion at the start of these games and we're conscious of that, and we're also conscious of not burning too much energy through the week thinking about the hype going into the game. It'll certainly be very physical.

"They've still got lots of individuals who are quite dangerous with ball in hand.

"They've had a lot of injuries this year and they have got a few guys out from last week as well, which makes it difficult.

"Having that opportunity to play at home and understanding that situation they're in, in terms of where they are on the ladder and what these last four games mean to them, I'm just expecting a lot of physicality from them."

The Waratahs sit 11^th and five points out of the top eight with four rounds remaining, leaving Darren Coleman's side in dire need of a drought-breaking win over the Brumbies.

That picture could have been so different for the 2-8 Waratahs, who have lost four games by six points or less.

But over at Brumbies headquarters? Officials will have a home quarter-final in the back of their minds with the ACT sitting third, six points behind the second-placed Blues.

It makes bonus points a crucial target for the Brumbies over the coming month with Larkham desperate for his side to put themselves in the box seat for a home semi-final.

"We're speaking about that every week. We do need a bit of luck now in terms of a top two finish," Larkham said.

"We've got a priority of trying to get to the finals first, so we'll take the win. If we can get to that stage and the performance is where it needs to be, we'll certainly be happy with four points.

"If there was an opportunity at the end of the game to pick up a bonus point, we're very conscious that we need bonus points to get to where we want to get to at the end of the season."

There are a few things you should know about Sally Fuesaina.

She's a 32-year-old mother of two, who makes five-hour round trips from Sydney to Canberra for ACT Brumbies training while balancing a job in disability and aged care.

Oh, and she is now on the cusp of her Test debut for the Wallaroos.

The Brumbies loosehead prop has been named on the bench for the Wallaroos' clash with Canada in the Pacific Four series opener in Sydney on Saturday.

Fuesaina joins Western Force pair Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke and Samantha Wood as the potential debutantes in Jo Yapp's first Wallaroos side.

Canberra product and Western Force lock Michaela Leonard will captain an Australian side featuring Brumbies Tania Naden, Siokapesi Palu, Tabua Tuinakauvadra and Faitala Moleka.

The back line is stacked with NSW Waratahs players after their Super Rugby Women's title win, while Piper Duck will return to the Test fold at No.8 after missing the entire 2023 season through injury.

"We're really happy with how the squad has connected over the past week and training in Blacktown has been a great environment for the players to prepare in camp," Yapp said.

"Hera-Barb, Sam and Sally are all deserving of their opportunity to make their debut and I'm looking forward to them making an impact in this team.

"The girls are excited to play their first Test match of the year and put in a good performance in front of our home fans."

The world No.5 Wallaroos haven't beaten fourth-ranked Canada since 2014, with the clash to be held before the Brumbies-Waratahs Super Rugby Pacific clash at the Sydney Football Stadium.

The Wallaroos will then take on the USA in Melbourne on May 17, before facing New Zealand in Auckland on May 25.