Far from dreading the challenge, the backs-to-the-wall Brumbies insist a sudden-death clash with the benchmark Crusaders is the ideal way to settle their Super 14 finals fate.

The fourth-placed Brumbies haven't conquered the seven-times Super rugby champions away from home in 10 years but must win in Christchurch on Friday night to qualify for the playoffs.

Just as the sixth-placed Crusaders, after three straight defeats on the road, must win to ensure their own participation in a record 12th semi-final series.

"I reckon these games are perfect," Brumbies coach Andy Friend said after his side's captain's run at AMI Stadium on Thursday.

"At this stage of the season, you want to be playing tough football. You want to challenge the squad to see if they've got it.

"Tomorrow we'll find out which side does have it and the losers probably didn't warrant being in that top four.

"So it's probably a perfect set-up for us. They've been a quality side for over a decade now, they've got a lot to play for and these are the types of games that they do play well in.

"There's obviously a sense of respect there for the Crusaders and, at the same time, a real belief that our game's starting to come together and we're looking forward to tomorrow night."

While their recent record in Christchurch - including the concession of 67 points while scoring just six on their past two visits - is appalling, the Brumbies are brimming with confidence after reviving their title hopes with successive bonus-point victories over the Reds and Highlanders.

Friend said "an air of confidence" had returned after a mid-tournament slump and that the Brumbies would persist with an attacking mindset in pursuit of a finals berth.

"The way we play our best football is by moving the ball around, so it's our intention to do that," he said.

"We probably left three or four tries out there on the park last week, just not running those support lines when we make that line break - we made 22 and probably only supported about 16 of them well.

"So it's about having a collective reaction to someone busting that line and then making the opposition pay for that."

Skipper Stephen Hoiles said retaining the same game plan, come what may, was a no-brainer for the Brumbies.

"It's got us to where we are so there's no use changing it and playing within our shell," he said.

"The only thing that might change is those 50-50 penalty kicks that you might have said no to in the last couple of weeks, you might look to take them if it's a close game.

"We've come off two decent wins, both at home, so this is obviously the biggest challenge for the group for the whole year.

"We probably knew at the start of the year it was going to come down to this, so we've put ourselves in a position to give it a crack in the last game.

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