The ACT Brumbies winning culture was on display at their University of Canberra headquarters on Tuesday with utility forward Jordan Smiler declaring close enough was not good enough.
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Despite blooding six new players last Saturday the Brumbies fell just one score short of snapping a 17-year Christchurch hoodoo, in a fixture most predicted the Crusaders to run away with.
Securing a losing bonus point from one of Super Rugby's toughest road assignments proved little consolation for Smiler who emphasised the Brumbies are out for redemption when they host the Durban Sharks on Saturday.
"I think we've got a great side and as well as we did play on Saturday we still lost and we're not in the business of losing," Smiler said.
"Regardless of having a young team with five or six guys debuting, at the end of a day it was a loss and we're not about that, so we're looking to rectify that in our first home game of the year on Saturday.
"We're not just here just to take part, the past few years we've always been there and thereabouts and you're always here to win it, youth or inexperience doesn't change that."
Smiler likened the current squad to when he joined the Brumbies almost five years ago and said generation next bring an added spark to the group.
"It's really exciting with all the new guys, they bring a different vibe with their enthusiasm and eagerness to get better and that's how I thought we went on the weekend," he said.
"It was a great effort but maybe we lacked some experience in those key areas of the game where we needed to put points away. There were definitely opportunities for us to win the game, we just need to be better at executing those key plays in the key parts of the game."
Smiler can play anywhere across the back row and second row, but his starting No.8 jumper could come under threat this Saturday with the possible return of Jarrad Butler.
"We probably have the most depth in the back row which is tough for myself trying to secure a spot every weekend but it's also good because it only makes you better and train harder," Smiler said.
"My role this season is to be an example through my actions, I just try and work hard through my physicality and I don't mind where I play - 4,5,6,7,8 - I love it all."
Former Auckland Blues prop Nic Mayhew was a standout for the Brumbies on debut in Christchurch and said he cannot wait to run out in front of the Brumbies faithful on Saturday.
"It was an honour to put on the jersey for the first time and great to be out there after a long preseason. It was nice playing back home in New Zealand with my parents there," Mayhew said.
"I've heard a lot from players about how tough it is for visiting teams to win there [Canberra Staidum], so we'll thrive off that and hopefully people turn up and get right behind us to give us that extra man."
Sidelined Wallaby Scott Sio is expected to miss another week with a hamstring complaint which should see Mayhew retain his No.1 jersey against the Sharks.
"I want to play as well as I can in that No.1 jersey this season. Scott and Ben [Alexander] have been really good, they're very experienced players, internationally as well, and I've learnt a lot off both of them already," Mayhew said.
SUPER RUGBY ROUND 2
ACT BRUMBIES v DURBAN SHARKS at Canberra Stadium, 7:45pm.
