The ACT Brumbies' new headquarters opens on May 23 full of what Ben Alexander describes as one per centers - individual features designed to lift performance.
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The Brumbies international prop will have lots to give him an edge, except one - a place to eat.
On three levels, the $16 million headquarters, the first stage of a sports hub for the University of Canberra, includes a hydrotherapy pool, sleep centre, 50-seat theatrette and environmental chamber for exercising under controlled temperature, humidity and oxygen pressure to simulate altitude.
But players will walk about 100 metres to the refectory on the university's main campus, a deliberate step, says general manager Simon Chester, to foster interaction with the university community.
Alexander says the walk is insignificant compared with having the team's best-ever access to recovery essentials of food, water and sleep.
''Having our own recovery session right there, as soon as you walk off the training field, rather than wandering and waiting 15 minutes before you start recovering, it's all those little 1 per centers, it will make a really big improvement,'' he said.
Chief executive Doug Edwards said the players would be in South Africa when staff packed up the old gym and office equipment.
''At the moment we have administration, marketing, media, ticketing all operating out of temporary accommodation in Bruce,'' Mr Edwards said.
''This will be a state-of-the-art facility, it will put us on the map, help with recruiting, the whole overall image of the Brumbies, I think, being in a professional environment such as a university and a brand new facility,'' Mr Edwards said.
Ninety Brumbies staff including the players will share the new buildings, with the university's Research Institute for Sport and Exercise, Special Olympics and ACTSPORT.
Players will walk off an international-standard playing field into showers, hot tub, hydrotherapy pool and sleep room on the ground floor and have exclusive access to a gym on the second floor that will also have a merchandising area and ACT Sports Hall of Fame.
At the rear of the north-facing building are a skills field with grass and all-weather carpet surfaces and sand pit for rehabilitation workouts and wrestling.
From their third level office and laboratory research staff will look down onto the second level indoor running track, which covers two lanes over 60 metres.
ACTSPORT will have offices on the third floor for individual groups.
