Brumbies happy to revisit 2012 failure as they look to cope with pressure of being Australia's top-ranked Super Rugby side

THE Brumbies will embrace their 2012 failure as they try to prove they won't choke under the pressure of being Australia's No.1 side.

Jesse Mogg

THE Brumbies will embrace their failure in 2012 rather than ignore it, as they attempt to prove they won't choke under the pressure of being Australia's No.1 side.

Skipper Ben Mowen said last night his troops would address how they fell apart at the end of last season, given they are in a similar situation now - leading the Australian conference with three games left in the regular season.

In 2012, they lost their final match to the Blues while Queensland scored a bonus point win to sneak into the finals, leaving the Brumbies dumbfounded as to how they did not qualify for the playoffs.

"What you don't do is not talk about it," Mowen said.

"You have got to keep revisiting what happened.

"That (attitude) is a reflection of (coach) Jake White. "When he first took over, he told us, 'I can't hide from the fact that when you wear the Brumbies jersey there is big expectation'. He reminded us that we're the only Australian side to have won the Super Rugby title twice, and when he came in only 120 guys had played for the franchise. He said, 'A lot of guys get that jersey and hold on to it and love it, and a lot of the success is repeated by the same guys'.

"That had been lost in the couple of years before he came, but Jake said, 'history matters'."

The 20-12 win over the Blues solidified the Brumbies' position atop the Australian conference, with Queensland losing to the Stormers and falling five points back, though they have a bye in hand. The Brumbies overturned a two-match losing streak with their win, and must maintain momentum against the Hurricanes this Friday night.

Brumbies will face the Rebels the following week, before travelling to Perth to play the Force in the final round on July 13 - after the British & Irish Lions series.