The Brumbies are refusing to buy into external noise after their Super Round win, relishing the competition around the group and the return of Tom Banks for the Hurricanes.
Dan McKellar's men were the lone Australian team to win last week, surviving a second-half charge to defeat the Highlanders.
This has some pundits positioning the Brumbies as the key Australian hopes in Super Rugby Pacific, something winger Andy Muirhead was not going to put much thought into.
“Nothing like that comes up in the group, we just concentrate on coming in here and getting our work done for the week,” Muirhead told reporters.
“I think the boys enjoy the 9-5 we’re doing at the moment and that comes to fruition on a Sunday.
“The boys haven’t really spoken about it at all and it won’t be spoken bout much this week. We’ve just got to do what we can here on the training paddock and hopefully that comes back on the football field."
The Brumbies made one change to the starting side from last week with fullback Tom Banks returning from a facial fracture.
This pushes Tom Wright, who has impressed outside of one mistake, back to the wing alongside Muirhead.
Allan Alaalatoa and Nick Frost are also expected to be available for selection in the next fortnight.
With Scott Sio and Lachlan Lonergan retaining their starting spots over Wallaby incumbents James Slipper and Folau Fainga'a, it leaves coach Dan McKellar will plenty of 'good' headaches at the selection table according to Muirhead.
"We're quite lucky we've got to this point in the season and I feel like a lot of guys are coming off those niggle injuries and coming back into the fold and selection," he said.
"It gives Dan [McKellar] a bit of a headache but it's the good headaches you want knowing that the boys are gonna be performing a little bit harder on the training paddock to try and get their position back or hold their position.
"It's only going to do good things for us in terms of our training performances."
READ MORE:
SQUAD: Wallaroos name squad for May series
CLEARED: Bell free to play Crusaders
TOTW: McReight, Lolesio shine
They will prepare to return to GIO Stadium for the first time since mid-Match to face the Hurricanes, who are coming off their own victory over the Reds after scoring 30 straight points.
“We knew what was coming when Super Round came along and the back end of the season,” Muirhead added.
“We knew it was going to be physical and we know they step it up a bit more in that contact area so we prepped the whole week knowing it was coming.
“If you want to be a good Rugby team, you need to have a short memory and I think the group was able to come together and apply pressure throughout for patches in the game, I didn’t think we did for 80, we had a good 25-30 minute patch to start off and went away from it.
“I think the signs of a good team is knowing what works for you and being able to get back into it.”
BRUMBIES (1-15): Scott Sio, Lachlan Lonergan, Sefo Kautai, Darcy Swain, Caderyn Neville, Rob Valetini, Jahrome Brown, Pete Samu, Nic White (c), Noah Lolesio, Andy Muirhead, Irae Simone, Len Ikitau, Tom Wright, Tom Banks
RESERVES: Folau Fainga'a, James Slipper, Tom Ross, Tom Hooper, Luke Reimer, Ryan Lonergan, Hudson Creighton, Ollie Sapsford
