Element of intrigue in crucial Canberra clash

Jake White will coach the Sharks against his former team, the Brumbies, on Saturday in a top-of-the-table match which has the potential to sway the Super Rugby play-off chances for both teams.

White's intimate knowledge of the Brumbies, whom he coached from 13th place in 2011 to runners-up last year, adds an element of intrigue to the clash at Canberra Stadium between the tournament's first and second-placed teams.

The Sharks opened their four-match tour to Australia and New Zealand with a 22-16 win over the 11th-placed Melbourne Rebels, building a five-point lead over the Brumbies. But Saturday's match marks the start of a much tougher group of games that will determine if the Sharks can sustain their season-long reign atop the table.

White quit the Brumbies half way through his contract to become director of rugby at the Sharks. No bitterness lingers from his departure and the Brumbies are doing as much as possible to play down the significance of his return to Canberra, emphasising they have enough to deal with after last week's 40-20 loss to the Crusaders.

The Brumbies managed to stay top the Australian conference by a point from the New South Wales Waratahs, but that comprehensive loss, to a team ranked six places below them at the time, has made their hold on that position seem precarious.

Brumbies and Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore said it would be unwise, after such a loss, to focus too much on White's possible contribution.

"I think there's been a lot said about Jake and him leaving, but I think that's peripheral to what's important this weekend," Moore said. "It's an important game for us. We need to bounce back after last week's loss and play really well at home."

White said his knowledge of the Brumbies as individual players and as a team did give him some small advantage in preparing the Sharks for the match. But he added: "This is not about me.