<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>341240</docID> <postdate>2025-03-27 16:05:56</postdate> <headline>No-tomorrow Brumbies focused only on the Highlanders</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-341241" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250322162803181708-original-1-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="1114" height="743" /></p> <caption>Their painful loss to the Waratahs has the Brumbies needing wins to stay in the top six. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <b>Darren Walton</b> </span></p> <p><strong>The ACT Brumbies will carry a no-tomorrow siege mentality into their must-win Super Rugby Pacific showdown with the Highlanders in Canberra.</strong></p> <p>Finals mainstays of the past decade, the fifth-placed Brumbies are at risk of tumbling out of the top six ahead of a season-defining month-long stretch of gruelling encounters.</p> <p>A first defeat to the NSW Waratahs in seven years has left Australia's perennial benchmark outfit feeling the heat ahead of the Highlanders challenge at GIO Stadium on Friday night.</p> <p>Winning is non-negotiable before a points-less bye round next week followed by away games against the Queensland Reds and Moana Pasifika and testing home fixtures against the Waratahs and Hurricanes.</p> <p>"(Winning) is very important. There's no looking around it," Brumbies hooker Billy Pollard said at Thursday's captain's run.</p> <p>"But we're just trying to focus on what we can control. if we get too caught up on the coming weeks and the result of the game, a lot of it probably won't work out the way you want.</p> <p>"So we're just focusing on what we can control going forward and particularly tomorrow night."</p> <p>Coach Stephen Larkham concedes his side has "work to do" to stay in touch with the competition leaders.</p> <p>But while stung by the Brumbies' first defeat to the Waratahs in 14 meetings, Larkham knows there is no time to mope with only a six-day turnaround before facing the seventh-placed Highlanders.</p> <p>"We've had to move on pretty quickly," he said.</p> <p>"There's nothing you can do about a decision that's happened or a result that's occurred.</p> <p>"So quickly back into the mindset of focusing on the Highlanders.</p> <p>"Sitting in the top six is not where we want to be. You want to be right up the top, top two.</p> <p>"So we have some work to do."</p> <p>Humbly declaring his try-scoring double in the corresponding fixture last year as a "fluke" from short range, Pollard is expecting a torrid battle with the New Zealand south islanders.</p> <p>"They'll be very good, as always," Pollard said.</p> <p>" I think they've got even better from last year, this year, and they're going from strength to strength and they have a lot of threats across the board.</p> <p>"So they'll be extremely tough and we're just looking to try to nullify their threats, but also just focus on the executing our own game too."</p> <p>The Brumbies face an even more important clash in the Super Rugby Women's match against the Waratahs that will serve as a tasty appetiser to the men's match on Friday.</p> <p>While the Waratahs can seal another minor premiership with victory, the home team must win to scrape into the finals that start next week.</p> </body>