Brumbies on high alert: Len Ikitau’s stark warning over ex-boss

Wary of the Dan McKellar factor, the ACT Brumbies are bracing for backlash from the NSW Waratahs in another Super Rugby Pacific crunch match.

The high-flying Brumbies travel to Sydney to face the Waratahs on Saturday night after McKellar's new outfit had their bubble burst in a humbling 35-15 loss to the Queensland Reds in Brisbane.

The five-tries-to-two whipping was the Waratahs' first defeat of the season after opening 2025 with three straight home wins under McKellar.

Knowing McKellar like he does, after playing under the hard-nosed former Brumbies mentor for three years, including the 2020 Super Rugby AU grand final triumph, Len Ikitau is expecting the Waratahs to hit back hard.

"Any team coached by Dan you know will put in an awesome effort," the Wallabies centre said on Monday.

"They were pretty disappointed with the way they played last week, but back at home they're undefeated, so it's a massive challenge for us.

"We need to make sure that we're on our game and then make sure that we're physical through the full 80 (minutes)."

Despite the 20-point thrashing from the Reds, Ikitau says the Brumbies respect last year's wooden spooners as a vastly improved and new-look outfit this season.

"They have a lot of physicality with Taniela (Tupou) ... they're a big forward pack, and once they get going they're hard to stop," Ikitau said.

"So for us it's nullifying that, making sure that our forward pack are fronting up both in attack and defence, and then the backs will just be on the edge, looking pretty."

Ikitau admits McKellar coaching the opposition is "weird" after his successful five-season stint in Canberra.

"But yeah, 'Tah' week is always a massive week for us at the Brumbies," he said.

"We want to be playing our best footy, and the most important game of the season is this week against the Tahs.

"So I think the boys are just ready to get out there. We'll get an awesome week of prep and then we'll go from there."

The Waratahs will doubtless be keeping a close eye on Ikitau, especially after the Wallabies star notched the first try-scoring hat-trick of his professional career in the Brumbies' 38-21 win over the Fijian Drua last start.

Len Ikitau Len Ikitau bagged a hat-trick in the Brumbies' 38-21 win over the Fijian Drua. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Dubbed Lenny "Flickitau" after delivering a magical flick pass to set up Waratahs winger Max Jorgensen for the winning try in Australia's famous win over England at Twickenham last November, Ikitau is playing down his treble.

"I got lucky with a few of them," he modestly said.

"The one where (Nic) Whitey went through, (he) did all the awesome stuff and then I just put the ball over the try line.

"Then Noah (Lolesio) throws it over the top and then I get a lucky bounce.

"And I think I owe Andy (Muirhead) one. Andy could have scored easily, but instead he gave it to me.

"So I think it's just being in positions where I want to be around the ball and then, yeah, just play footy."