Shattered Brumbies have vowed to turn Super Rugby final heartbreak into 2014 title triumph as their stars eye much earlier solace with the Wallabies in the Bledisloe Cup.
Coach Jake White admitted starkly contrasting bench input by the teams was crucial as the Chiefs rallied from a late 10-point deficit to overrun his Brumbies by 27-22 and retain the Super Rugby crown before delirious home fans in Hamilton on Saturday night.
While the Chiefs again made heavy use of their classy bench - labelled spark plugs by coach Dave Rennie - White did not show similar faith in his reserves despite the rigours of a frantic match and his team's arduous finals travel schedule back from South Africa.
It was a decision that will haunt the Brumbies after the Chiefs' replacements made a huge impact, including utility back Robbie Robinson with his spectacular match-winning first-touch try, while the Brumbies made uncharacteristic late errors.
"I thought we needed calm heads and boys who could handle the pressure," White said.
"I suppose the lesson I learned is that we need to have a stronger bench and make sure that bench understands the pressure."
White will give players outside the Wallabies squad just a seven-day break before beginning work toward winning the 2014 title and, with great flanker George Smith, lock Peter Kimlin and prop Dan Palmer the only frontline players leaving, the young team should be right in the mix again.
"It starts again from nought," White said.
"The ride's not over yet, we're two years into a four-year campaign so there's a long way to go."
For skipper Ben Mowen and 11 of his teammates there is an opportunity to reset their focus much sooner as they join other members of new Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie's extended 39-man national squad in camp in Sydney on Monday.
They will be hoping a decent number of them have staked strong enough claims to Wallabies berths when the Rugby Championship opens with the first 2014 Bledisloe Cup battle with the All Blacks in Sydney in less than two weeks.
"We'll roll through," said Wallabies flanker Mowen.
"You don't need anymore motivation than a Bledisloe sitting there."
The other Brumbies in the squad are Jesse Mogg, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Joe Tomane, Matt Toomua, Nic White, Peter Kimlin, Scott Fardy, Scott Sio, Stephen Moore and Ben Alexander.
If winger Henry Speight was eligible, and both David Pocock and Pat McCabe weren't injured, the ACT would likely be able to put together only a slightly disjointed starting 15 from within that squad.
"This time last year we had three guys in the Wallabies squad," said Moore, Australia's most capped Test hooker. "We've put Brumbies rugby back on track."
While the Brumbies forward pack was as effective as ever in the Super Rugby final, outside centre Kuridrani missed a vital tackle on replacement Robinson that lead to the Chiefs' match clincher.
Halfback White and fullback Mogg also performed below their best in the kicking department.
"That's what happens when there's pressure," coach White said.
"It's not going to get tougher than that. These lessons are going to help them play at a higher level.
"There's a lot of boys that are going to put their hand up for the Wallabies."
