Brumbies look to save Australian blushes in Super Rugby playoffs

The ACT Brumbies will look to save Australian rugby's blushes in the Super Rugby playoffs when they host the Hurricanes in their quarter-final on Friday night.

The Brumbies are the only Australian team to have qualified for the playoffs, and they will be hoping to upset the odds against the Hurricanes, who are the top-ranked team in the competition.

The Brumbies have been in good form in recent weeks, winning their last four games, including a 38-13 victory over the Hurricanes in Canberra in March.

The Brumbies will be without their captain Allan Alaalatoa, who is suspended, but they have a strong squad that includes Wallabies stars Nic White, Tom Banks and Rory Arnold.

The Hurricanes are the defending champions, and they will be looking to make it back-to-back titles.

The Hurricanes have a number of dangerous players in their squad, including Jordie Barrett, Ardie Savea and Dane Coles.

The match will be played at GIO Stadium in Canberra, and kick-off is at 7:45pm AEST.

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar is confident his team can upset the Hurricanes.

"We're excited about the challenge," McKellar said. "The Hurricanes are a quality side, but we're confident in our ability to beat them.

"We've been playing some good rugby in recent weeks, and we're hoping to carry that form into the playoffs.

"We know it's going to be a tough game, but we're confident we can get the job done."

Hurricanes coach Jason Holland is expecting a tough challenge from the Brumbies.

"The Brumbies are a very good side," Holland said. "They've got a lot of experience, and they're playing some good rugby.

"We know it's going to be a tough game, but we're confident we can come away with the win.

"We've been working hard on our game plan, and we're hoping to execute it well on Friday night."

The Brumbies and the Hurricanes have met 23 times in Super Rugby, with the Hurricanes winning 14 of those matches.

The Brumbies have won the last two meetings between the two sides, both of which were played in Canberra.

The Brumbies are the underdogs for this match, but they have a chance to pull off an upset if they can play to their potential.