Rugby: The worst result for New Zealand Super Rugby teams

Elton Jantjies of the Lions is pictured during the round 12 Super Rugby match between the Brumbies and the Lions. Photo / Getty Images.

The Super Rugby final is still, rather incredibly, three months away, but it's only a slight stretch to say the venue for the showpiece could be determined by the Lions' win over the Brumbies overnight.

Providing the Crusaders don't run the table against the other New Zealand teams, the Lions' victory in Canberra leaves the South African side with four matches in the Republic between them and home advantage.

The Lions' homestraight includes home games against the Bulls, Kings and Sunwolves, and they wrap their regular season up with a trip to Durban to face the Sharks.

The Lions currently sit level on points with the Crusaders in the overall combined Super Rugby standings, though the Crusaders have played one less game.

The Super Rugby final will be played at the venue of the highest seeded team.

Sport bookies Bet365 have the Lions as $4 outsiders to win the competition, bettered only by the Crusaders ($3.50) and Hurricanes (3.75).

Meanwhile, the Brumbies have played their last 210 minutes of Super Rugby without scoring a try and will have to address their attacking woes on a tough world tour.

It will be exactly one month since Joe Powell crossed against the Hurricanes in Napier when the Brumbies take the field in Port Elizabeth next Saturday.

It's an embarrassing statistic given the Brumbies declared their intent to play attacking rugby after demolishing the Reds 43-10 in round seven.

The Lions beat the Brumbies 13-6 in Canberra in a lacklustre contest which condemned the ACT-based franchise to their fourth straight defeat.

Nonetheless, Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham was impressed with his side's creativity despite their tryless run rolling on.

"It comes back to our ball carrier doing a better job recycling the ball and our support players getting there that little bit quicker," Larkham said.

"In terms of confidence, the guys were throwing the ball around, they were trying. The effort was 100 per cent there.

"They're trying desperately to score tries but it didn't come." Joe Powell broke through the Lions' defensive line twice in the second half and Henry Speight was his usual dangerous self, but even they couldn't break the drought.

Skipper Sam Carter admitted the Brumbies were lacking confidence in attack.

"We're creating the line breaks and we're not capitalising on them," he said.

"I think there was what three or four linebreaks tonight, zero points and we got turned over in crucial moments in the first half."

Larkham admitted the travel schedule to South Africa and Argentina will be tough for his side.

"We have to stay overnight in Johannesburg then go down to Port Elizabeth the next day and play in their stadium down there," Larkham said.

"It's always difficult overcome jetlag and making sure you're nice and fresh for them game.

"The solution for us is pretty simple: we just get the best result next week."

In a sign of where the Australian conference is at right now, the Brumbies will remain on top regardless of other results this weekend. But, with a 3-7 record heading to Africa, they will need to win one game on tour to control their destiny.