The ACT Brumbies insist they won't be limping into the Super Rugby season despite suffering back to back trial defeats, adamant they have put the building blocks in place to chase a drought-breaking championship.
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The Brumbies gave up a three-try lead against the Otago Highlanders and were denied a last-minute victory when Joseph Tomane's try was disallowed because of a forward pass.
The 24-19 loss was soured by a season-ending knee injury to back-up hooker Mitch Wade, while Sam Carter suffered concussion in a carnage-filled contest in Wagga Wagga on Saturday night.
But while they're still searching for their first win of the year, David Pocock continued his comeback from two knee reconstructions and flying Fijian Tevita Kuridrani launched his season with two tries in a 60-minute masterclass.
"It is disappointing, the trial period is a time to see where you're at as a side and there's plenty there for us to work on," said inside centre Christian Lealiifano.
"But there are plenty of positives too. We have to knuckle down, our goal was to get that winning feeling and unfortunately we couldn't get that.
"I think Tevita's starting to realise this is his year, he's got an opportunity to step up and make the No. 13 his own. He's already looking dangerous."
The Brumbies will play the Queensland Reds in the opening round of the Super Rugby season on February 13.
They will be bolstered by the return of captain Stephen Moore for the round-one clash at Canberra Stadium when he plays about 20 minutes from the bench.
The Brumbies showed glimpses of their devastating best in the opening 20 minutes, rolling out their full-strength line-up against last year's semi-finalists the Highlanders.
Kuridrani scored a double and Henry Speight completed a first-half Fijian hat-trick, before they took the foot off the pedal and the Highlanders finally got some possession.
There was concern for Carter's health after just 12 minutes when he was knocked out defending the Brumbies line, with medical staff rushing to his side to hold his neck in place.
But the Wallabies lock bounced back to his feet and will almost certainly play against the Reds.
Wade wasn't so lucky with Australia's hooker crisis striking just before half-time when the Canberra Vikings rake fell awkwardly and had to be helped from the field.
Wade had a chance to impress with Moore, Josh Mann-Rea and Siliva Siliva all working their way back on to the field, but he was in a knee brace before the end of the game and faces a nine-month stint on the sideline.
Pocock was solid in his second game back from a knee reconstruction, but it was the Highlanders who lifted the intensity and charged to the lead in the dying minutes.
The physical encounter left Carter concussed, Highlanders outside centre Shaun Treeby in hospital after a head knock and two more players taken from the field with concussion.
"I failed the concussion test so they took me off," Carter said.
"I think I copped a knee to the head ... I know I didn't play much but I'm confident I will be right to go in round one and perform against the Reds."
Tomane's try was denied long after the full-time siren after the Brumbies launched an attacking opportunity from their own try-line.
Tomane swooped up on the inside of Robbie Coleman, but the pass floated forward and the Brumbies were denied a match-winning chance.
AT A GLANCE
OTAGO HIGHLANDERS 24 (Ryan Tongia, Teihorangi Walden, Dan Pryor tries; Lee Allan 3 conversions) bt ACT BRUMBIES 19 (Tevita Kuridrani 2, Henry Speight tries; Nic White, Christian Lealiifano conversions) at Wagga Wagga on Saturday night. Crowd: 5924.
