The Brumbies have locked Jarrad Butler in for another Super Rugby season, earmarking the backrower as a ready-made replacement for superstar David Pocock.
The new one-year deal will keep Butler in Canberra until at least the end of 2017, covering the time Pocock is away on a sabbatical.
Butler filled in for the Wallabies openside flanker while he recovered from a second knee reconstruction in 2014 and last week when Pocock served the first of a two-game suspension in the win over the NSW Waratahs.
He has again been named at No.7 for Sunday's blockbuster battle with the Crusaders at GIO Stadium.
"He did a fantastic job last weekend coming back from (a knee) injury," coach Stephen Larkham said.
"He may not have had the presence on the ball he would've liked, but he's shown improvement in each week and his understanding of the game is second to none.
"In the forwards, he probably reads the game better than anyone else."
Larkham had hoped to secure Butler longer-term, but the club was somewhat "hamstrung" because of the unusual deal with Pocock - who will return in 2018.
"The difficulty there is Poey is away for a year and will be back the following year, so we sort of have to see where our budget lies," he said.
Larkham will stick with the same starting side that beat the Tahs for Sunday's match between Australia's most successful franchise and the competition's most prolific champions.
He has made just one change to the bench, switching Joe Powell with Michael Dowsett following some impressive performances in club rugby.
"I thought they played really well against the Waratahs, they had a really good training week," added Larkham.
"We're sort of trying to keep that momentum going now."
The Crusaders have won six games in a row and haven't been beaten by the Brumbies since 2009.
It's a fact not lost on Brumbies co-captain Stephen Moore.
"We haven't played them a lot the last few years but when we have, they've had the wood on us here and over there," he said.
"We're keen to go out there and put on a good performance in front of our home fans."
Brumbies: Aidan Toua, Robbie Coleman, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Toomua, Joe Tomane, Christian Lealiifano (c), Tomas Cubelli, Jordan Smiler, Jarrad Butler, Scott Fardy, Sam Carter, Rory Arnold, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore (c), Scott Sio. Reserves: Josh Mann-Rea, Allan Alaalatoa, Leslie Leulua'iali'i-Makin, Tom Staniforth, Michael Wells, Michael Dowsett, James Dargaville, Nigel Ah Wong.
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