Bulked up Brumbies lock Nick Frost is hoping his 'unreal' experience in Wallabies camp can help him take the next step in 2022.
After establishing himself as a regular starter in a dominant Brumbies pack, the 22-year-old was a surprise inclusion for the Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship after missing selection for the French series.
Whilst he was not called upon by Dave Rennie, Frost took the opportunity to build his game along with his towering 2.06 m frame.
Billed by the Brumbies at 115kg, the lock credits the extra gym sessions whilst not playing towards bulking up nearly 5kgs as he looks to build his strength.
“Tour was helpful for (bulking up) as well having most meals at the hotel prepared for you so I was trying to make the most of that. By the end of it, we were just trying to gym as much as possible because there was a group of us that just got in and did gym when we weren't playing games so we got a few extra sessions," Frost told reporters on Friday.
"I put a few kilos on here and there but it's been enjoyable. I’m topping the scales at 119 (kgs), it's easily the heaviest I've been but I need to be able to keep the weight and be able to run around with that.
"Naturally as a tall lock (you want) to put on mass and increase strength as well, obviously size will come with that. I'm a bit younger so I've got a bit of time to do it gradually and not all at once."
The former Junior Wallaby believes the chance to not only pick the brains of coaches but other players will only help his game as they prepare for Super Rugby Pacific.
“It was unreal,” he said on the experience. “It was fun, to be pretty much out of lockdown wherever we were was enjoyable.
“It was a bit of a different experience living away from home and coming back to the hotels but it was fun having Loners (Ryan Lonergan) as my roommate so we just stuck together pretty tight.
“It was good to experience how other boys from different clubs train, different voices and opinions...The higher you went up, the quicker the game is. Training-wise, in the first couple of sessions, it was like 'jeez, this is quick', you were just constantly running.
"Once you got used to that and come back here, you see a bit of a change. It was pretty enjoyable, took a few different bits and pieces off other guys in technical work.”
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Frost returns to the Brumbies with more of a critical approach towards training as he looks to impart his wisdom and knowledge to the younger players - despite himself only being 22.
"You've got to be good yourself, to be honest," he added. "It's no good telling someone they're no good or to improve things, and then you reflect on yourself and you weren't up to shape.
"It's made myself be a bit more critical around what I do. It's a pretty open environment (at the Brumbies) so I'm happy to be told off by other people, just for constructive criticism."
