Life is a beach for Brumbies recruit

[travelling_gerry]

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


http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...px?storypage=0

[mudskipper]

HMAS Creswell: History

HMAS Creswell is located on the south-western shores of Jervis Bay, in the Jervis Bay Territory (ACT), 180 kilometres south of Sydney. As part of a large national park and in recognition of its historical significance, Creswell was placed on the Australian Heritage Commission's National Estate register in 1981. Creswell consists of the RAN College and four other departments.

Parliament selected the site of Captain's Point, Jervis Bay, for the Royal Australian Naval College (RANC) in November 1911. This site is the cradle of our Navy. Construction of the main college buildings was completed in 1915 and the first two entries of cadet midshipmen moved from the temporary college at Geelong in February 1915.
Funding cuts driven by the Great Depression forced the closure of the Ranc in 1930, which then relocated to Flinders Naval Depot (HMAS Cerberus). The buildings were leased as hotels and guesthouses, although Navy retained use of the waterfront and some married quarters. From 1944 to 1946 the RAAF 2nd Military Rehabilitation Unit was housed in some of the college buildings.
From the early 1950s the government decided to return the RANC to HMAS Creswell. This was achieved in January 1958 and the site was commissioned as HMAS Creswell, named after VADM Sir William Creswell, KCMG, KBE, the First Naval Member of the Naval Board (Chief of Navy) from 1911 to 1919.
In 1987, the Staff Training School was established at HMAS Creswell. Now known as the Advanced Leadership and Management Faculty, the school conducts the Junior Officer Leadership, Management and Strategic Studies courses, and both phases of the Senior Sailor Advanced Staff Skills course.

The Royal Australian Navy are a sponsor of the Brumbies. Jervis Bay is the official port of the Australian Capital Canberra and is a part of the ACT.

[jargan83]

The Royal Australian Navy are a sponsor of the Brumbies

Is that who is going to foot the bill for a 3rd party deal to get Giteau back to Canberra?

At least they are a Federal organisation, won't need to renogotiate a sponsorship deal should they move

For some reason I don't think Gits would be too keen on joining the navy when he isn't playing Rugby

[TOCC]

its part of the navy recruitment drive, they sponsor him but he needs to serve his off season on HMAS kanimbla

[Cowboy]

All sounds like alot of fun, where do I sign up?

[Burgs]

I think our odds of keeping him may have just gone up then TOCC

[Cowboy]

Maybe in order to guarantee Gits stays we should lobby for his navy time to be aboard one of the Collins class submarines.

[mudskipper]

Is that who is going to foot the bill for a 3rd party deal to get Giteau back to Canberra?

At least they are a Federal organisation, won't need to renogotiate a sponsorship deal should they move

For some reason I don't think Gits would be too keen on joining the navy when he isn't playing Rugby

At least RAN bankruptcy is extremely unlikely… nice to know the Brumbies have a private training camp on the beach….

[mudskipper]

its part of the navy recruitment drive, they sponsor him but he needs to serve his off season on HMAS kanimbla

Isn't that a sea mine remover? ... bang for their buck i guess....

[jargan83]

At least RAN bankruptcy is extremely unlikely

Whats that got to with the subject?

The RAN is just one sponsor, they're not going to prop them up to keep them in Canberra. The RAN could achieve it's sponsorship goals through a Melbourne team just as well
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[TOCC]

well its not a private training camp... its a navy base

[travelling_gerry]

Funding cuts driven by the Great Depression forced the closure of the Ranc in 1930, which then relocated to Flinders Naval Depot (HMAS Cerberus).

Sounds like going broke to me.



and then went to Victoria......

[jargan83]

History repeating?

I assume that if the Federal Government were to slash the RAN budget that sponsorship would be on shaky ground
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[mudskipper]

Sounds like going broke to me.



and then went to Victoria......

True that happened in the great depression 1930... Same year that Perth was connected to Adelaide (and subsequently the rest of the eastern states) by a telephone line...

[TOCC]

True that happened in the great depression 1930... Same year that Perth was connected to Adelaide (and subsequently the rest of the eastern states) by a telephone line...

holy shit, perth has telephones.... well i be dammed, and here i was thinking that they still used a cup on a string