The Rebels will start that challenge with the daunting prospect of playing the Australian conference-leading Canberra Brumbies at AAMI Park on Friday night, armed with a game plan to stop rival full-back Jesse Mogg from strutting his stuff.

Higginbotham said while the team could use reasons, such as inexperience, for its disappointing 1-3 start,  its season was approaching the point of no return, which will be marked by its second bye in round 11.

The Rebels embark on a New Zealand tour next week when they will face the Highlanders and Chiefs, and their next home game will be against the Western Force in round 10, on April 18.

''It's obviously frustrating but we're still a young side and an inexperienced side and we've still got a lot of work to do, and it's just going to take time,'' he said.

''I don't want to be saying with eight games down that's it's still early in the season and there's still time. Something has to happen definitely before our next bye. We really need to clock up some wins.''

Higginbotham said the Rebels knew what to expect from the Brumbies and go into the game attempting to restrict Mogg's opportunities.

''The Brumbies play a very structured game,'' he said. "They've been playing the same brand of football for the last couple of years - the thing about that is that they do it well.

''I think basically it's just about how hard you're willing to work to challenge that style of football. It's a very straight-forward style that they play so for us you've just got to work hard and maybe we haven't been working hard enough.

''Mogg has got a great boot on him and you saw when they played the Waratahs, if you give him space and time to figure out what he's going to do, he'll make you pay.''

Higginbotham said the Rebels could go a long way to changing their fortunes by reducing the number of needless penalties.

''Sometimes you'll get decisions where a lot can go either way and, to be honest, I think that's the way refereeing is going at the moment. It's no excuse, we've just got to be harder. And with those breakdown penalties, we've got to play more to the book and be a bit more straight-forward with our technique.''

Rebels coach Tony McGahan has made six changes to the team that was overrun by NSW, with half-back Luke Burgess relegated to the bench in favour of Nic Stirzaker, who will be playing his first game since suffering an ankle sprain in the first trial game.

McGahan said he was looking for a ''new voice'' to direct the team and has placed his faith in the inexperienced halves pairing of Stirzaker and Bryce Hegarty.

Colby Faingaa has also replaced blindside-flanker Sean McMahon in the line-up and will be looking to prove his value as a starting player against his former club.

''I'm just trying to play good rugby and I've been in and out of the starting team,'' he said. ''I'm not trying to prove anything to the Brumbies, I'm trying to prove my worth to the Rebels and keep my spot.''

Meanwhile, Wallabies inside-centre Christian Lealiifano will make his Super Rugby return from the Brumbies' bench after undergoing ankle surgery five months ago.