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It hasn't taken ACT Brumbies recruit James Stannard long to feel accepted in his new rugby environment.
While his pre-season training has impressed Brumbies head coach Andy Friend, Stannard's off-field antics have helped him settle in with his new teammates in record time.
The 25-year-old, formerly of the Western Force, made the most of a boost from his teammates during a swim at a pre-season training camp in Jervis Bay this week.
Leaping into the air, performing a somersault before bombing into the water, Stannard created plenty of cheers from his Brumbies peers in his first pre-season in the ACT.
''They're a top bunch of fellas, they've been really accepting and I feel really comfortable,'' Stannard said.
''The Force guys were cool too but the Brumbies boys have welcomed me so well and I'd at least like to think I'm fitting in.
''Ben Hand had me over for dinner last week and the food was even nice.''
As much as pre-season training is about knuckling down and getting ready for the on-field challenges ahead, there's always room for fun.
And as the Brumbies have discovered at their five-day training camp at HMAS Creswell this week, a solid balance between work and play makes for happy footballers.
Enjoying the facilities at Creswell and the surrounding towns, the Brumbies have made sure that while they're focused on training, they're also focused on making the most of their spare time.
Some went surfing at Manyana, north of Mollymook, others preferred tennis, some canoed and some simply read a book.
Friend welcomed his players maximising their free time opportunities.
''It's good to be able to get away and train somewhere not so familiar, where the routine is not so familiar as back home and there are other things to do,'' the coach said.
''I'm a big believer in having a good balance in life and I think that's also very important in football.''
Part of Friend's planning for the week away included a team-building exercise aimed at testing reaction time and planning under pressure.
Split into two groups backs and forwards the players were loaded on to a boat which was tilted significantly and full of open-ended pipes.
All that was on board was rubber sheeting, some metal straps and pieces of wood.
And when the pipes started gushing with water, flooding the boat, the players had to work as a unit with the facilities on board to to prevent the boat from filling.
''The backs went OK, they were only knee-deep in water by the time they had managed to stop all the leaks,'' a Brumbies spokesperson said.
''As for the forwards, well they were shoulder deep, even neck deep in water and had it been a real life situation then I've got no doubt that the HMAS Brumby would have sunk.''
But fear not Brumbies fans, the players still have 14 days to prepare for their first Super 14 trial game.
BRUMBIES TRIALS
January 30 v Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium
February 5 v NSW Waratahs at the SFS
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