It is true that one swallow does not make a summer but the return of jack-in-the-box prop Coenie Oosthuizen will inject some much-needed energy into the Cheetahs' game.

The Free State side take on the Brumbies in a Super Rugby match in Canberra on Saturday.

Oosthuizen's inclusion could not have come at a better time for the Cheetahs, on the back of two consecutive losses - which included a 51-19 pounding defeat to the Bulls last week.

The second-rate start to the competition has not left Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske completely despondent, as he believes the tour might just be the right medicine for his fumbling charges.

"We have to try and win some games on this tour. There will always be pressure and our focus will be on handling it," said Drotske.

"The first two matches, against the Brumbies and the Rebels, will be very important for us. The Brumbies have lost a heap of experienced players and the Rebels are still rather new in Super Rugby. We need to compensate for our two defeats this season."

Drotske's men are the first South Africans to tour Australasia this season. The Brumbies are coached by World Cup-winning ex-bok coach Jake White.

The match will be White's first test against a South African team and he will be hoping to prove a point against the Cheetahs.

The Cheetahs, however, can call on last season's 47-36 thrashing of the two times Super Rugby champions in Bloemfontein.

But, going back further into the history books, the Cheetahs have never won in Canberra, and they have only won two out of six fixtures since 2006.

The Bloemfontein-based side have in the past struggled on tour, but they got the rub of the green last year when they beat the Waratahs 23-3 in Sydney.

With the touring hoodoo dead and buried, the Cheetahs will go into the clash with greater confidence than in the past.

After leaking six tries in their match against the Bulls, it is an area of their game that will have received additional attention during this week's practice sessions.

Drotske can, however, take heart from his team's discipline last weekend, as they conceded only seven penalties to the 18 that went against the Bulls.

The Cheetahs coach also beefed up his forwards pack and promoted running loose forward Ashley Johnson to the starting XV.

The Free Staters' tight-five struggled against the Bulls' imposing scrum, but could have an easier time in the engine room against the Brumbies.

While Oosthuizen is equally adept in the bruising tight areas of the game as in the loose, his presence will no doubt be an added extra to the Cheetahs' game.

Loose ball bandit Heinrich Brussow will also have a point to prove to White, who believes a fetcher is nothing more than a person who brings him his beer.

SAPA