How do you stop "the biggest forward pack in the competition" on their own turf, where they've been unbeatable this year with an average winning margin of 25 points? You start by recalling James Slipper.
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Then you load up your bench with physical impact players in a bid to do what no Australian team has done in Super Rugby history: win a final in New Zealand.
Slipper has been recalled to the Brumbies' starting line-up for a must-win semi-final against the Auckland Blues at Eden Park on Friday night.
The veteran loosehead was racing the clock to play again this season after suffering a calf tear in the penultimate round of the regular season.
But the Test centurion is back in the fold to bolster a misfiring scrum and potentially level the playing field as the Blues come to grips with a season-ending injury to lock and captain Patrick Tuipulotu.
"I'm not a scrum expert," Brumbies coach and legendary flyhalf Stephen Larkham grinned.
"But [Slipper] certainly gives confidence to the other front-rowers and understands the pressures that come in the scrum and the challenges front-rowers have. He has that ability to fix those challenges on the run, which is what we're going to have to do this weekend.
![James Slipper has been named to start against the Blues. Picture by Keegan Carroll James Slipper has been named to start against the Blues. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/31a65952-a794-4b8c-a0c8-2bca28e801dc.jpg/r0_411_5000_3233_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Having James Slipper back in the team is strengthening our prospects at scrum time. They've had an injury to their captain and second-rower who is pretty integral to their scrum, so we'd like to think we're going to have at least parity on the weekend.
"Slips has been training well. He went through a rehab program and got through everything quite well. He trained really well last week and he's keen to get out there.
"We're obviously happy that he's out there, he's one of our most experienced players and you need experienced players in finals footy."
Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa missed his side's last clash at Eden Park - a nightmare 36-point loss which had cast doubt over their title aspirations - and is relishing the challenge of becoming the first ACT team to win at the venue in 11 years.
Having Slipper partner Alaalatoa and hooker Billy Pollard in the front-row will be crucial for the Brumbies, with Rhys van Nek and Sosefo Kautai to deputise for the veteran props.
![James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa will team up again. Picture by Karleen Minney James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa will team up again. Picture by Karleen Minney](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/29e861bd-2706-4691-80a6-a934abb74bf2.jpg/r0_0_4034_2268_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"[Slipper] knows what it's like to play in big games, he's been training hard behind the scenes to give himself every opportunity," Alaalatoa said.
"It probably took us two or three [scrums] to get going [against the Highlanders], to get that read on the scrum and what was happening. We finally figured that out towards the back end of that first half. Those solves have got to come quicker.
"That's the little detail the front-row will go through and make adjustments on how we can improve that straight away. I know the Blues will be watching that and targeting our set piece there."
Dalton Papali'i will captain the Blues as an injury cloud hovers over flanker Akira Ioane, and while the Brumbies' scrum has had issues, the lineout has Blues coach Vern Cotter on notice.
"Their lineouts one of the better lineouts in the competition for taking ball. So, we will rock and roll out of different situations," Cotter said. "We might not get things as we want, but we just will be able to have that connection to the game and what we want to achieve."
THE 'WARRIOR' WHO ROSE UP THE LADDER
Jahrome Brown was about to start climbing ladders to install roof gutters before the ACT Brumbies came calling. He leaves Canberra "a warrior" - and if all goes to plan over the next nine days - maybe even a Super Rugby Pacific champion.
Brown arrived in Canberra more than five years ago on a temporary deal as an injury replacement and sat behind the likes of David Pocock, Pete Samu, Lachlan McCaffrey, Rob Valetini and Tom Cusack.
![Jahrome Brown is entering his final weeks as a Brumbies player in Super Rugby. Picture by Keegan Carroll Jahrome Brown is entering his final weeks as a Brumbies player in Super Rugby. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/7ccbd786-3941-4115-ac12-28b00e236238.jpg/r0_295_3795_2437_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Soon enough he had scored just six seconds into his Super Rugby career and then earned man of the match honours in his run-on debut.
Now Brown is preparing to head back across the Tasman after being linked with a move to the Waikato Chiefs, meaning Friday's semi-final against the Auckland Blues could be his last game for the Brumbies.
But Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham is desperate to extend Brown's time in Brumbies colours an extra week as they chase a grand final appearance.
"Jahrome, he's a warrior," Larkham said.
"He's one of our best ball carriers as a forward, he's one of our best tacklers, he's pretty good over the ball, he creates a lot of chaos around the breakdown, he's got really good skills as well.
![Jahrome Brown will leave the Brumbies. Picture by Keegan Carroll Jahrome Brown will leave the Brumbies. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/c447e7ed-11b6-4ede-be4b-1f13ef93e1ee.jpg/r0_250_4888_3009_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"This is his 50th game for the Brumbies, and in Super Rugby, which is pretty phenomenal. He's one of those players that the other players love playing with."
Brown is one of six Brumbies set to leave the club at the end of the season, joining Tamati Tua, Darcy Swain, Connal McInerney, Fred Kaihea and Ed Kennedy in the departure lounge.
But before he's out the door, Brown will come off the bench at Eden Park on a mission against one of the most powerful forward packs in the competition.
"All those guys coming off the bench - Luke Reimer, Jahrome Brown, Nick Frost and our front-row changes [Liam Bowron, Rhys van Nek, and Sefo Kautai] - we're expecting a fair bit out of all of those guys," Larkham said.
"We've picked a team obviously to combat the forward power the Blues have, but we also have picked guys on the reserves bench we think will come off the bench to add a lot of impact in the game."
SUPER RUGBY SEMI-FINAL
Friday: Auckland Blues v ACT Brumbies at Eden Park, 5.05pm.
ACT Brumbies squad: 1. James Slipper, 2. Billy Pollard, 3. Allan Alaalatoa (c), 4. Darcy Swain, 5. Tom Hooper, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Rory Scott, 8. Charlie Cale, 9. Ryan Lonergan, 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Corey Toole, 12. Tamati Tua, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Andy Muirhead, 15. Tom Wright. Reserves: 16. Liam Bowron, 17. Rhys van Nek, 18. Sosefo Kautai, 19. Nick Frost, 20. Jahrome Brown, 21. Luke Reimer, 22. Harrison Goddard, 23. Ollie Sapsford.
Auckland Blues squad: 1. Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Marcel Renata, 4. Sam Darry, 5. Josh Beehre, 6. Akira Ioane, 7. Dalton Papali'i (c), 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Harry Plummer, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. AJ Lam, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Tele'a, 15. Stephen Perofeta. Reserves: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Joshua Fusitu'a, 18. Angus Ta'avao, 19. James Thompson, 20. Adrian Choat, 21. Taufa Funaki, 22. Corey Evans, 23. Cole Forbes.