That meant no place in the run on side for All Black forwards Ben Afeaki or Sam Cane, while Bundee Aki - who had started in most of the matches this season - was also on the bench.
Those ideas may alter this week as Dave Rennie and his coaching crew map out the game plan and players to fit their title defence.
They will host Henry Speight, who played for Waikato in the ITM Cup, while other squad members Christian Lealiifano, Fotua Aulea, Jordan Smiler and Joseph Tomane were all born in New Zealand.
There will be no secrets about the way the Brumbies will play. Inside their half they have been reluctant to spread the ball far from the inside channels using either Nic White, Matt Toomua or Jesse Mogg to kick for territory or contested up and unders.
That pattern continued in their gutsy semifinal win against the Bulls where a combative pack guided by strong skipper Ben Mowen and outstanding flanker George Smith kept the heat on the hosts.
The Brumbies scrum was steady with young Scott Sio an ever-improving find at loosehead prop. Substitutions saw a decrease in that stability while Mowen, Sam Carter, Peter Kimlin and Scott Fardy are the lineout targets for the combative Wallaby hooker Stephen Moore.
Out the back is stability and rising firepower from Tevita Kuridrani, who has given the Brumbies some attacking sting and strong defence at centre. Mogg's game has also moved up a gear and he was rewarded with a test debut against the Lions.
The Brumbies victory in Pretoria was the first any side had registered against the Bulls on their home patch this season in another pointer about the mental resilience they have shown all year.
They have drawn twice and lost four times, with their heaviest defeat being the 22-35 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town. The Chiefs have been beaten four times with a solitary loss at home to the Reds.
