Rathbone's not talking about crime-related danger.

He's referring to the prospect of getting caught up in the hype of seeing his family and friends again and not putting enough time into his rugby.

Rathbone loves returning to Durban in the KwaZulu Natal region on the east coast of South Africa.

The Brumbies arrived here last Sunday.

Rathbone spent the first two nights at his mother-in-law's house his wife Carrie flew out from Canberra for the week as well and has spent every day with family and friends.

Rathbone spends time with the peers he rarely gets the chance to see every time he comes back to Durban.

And while it may seem as though he's here for a holiday, Rathbone says he's managed the ideal rugby and social balance.

''It's definitely a challenge when I come back, probably the biggest challenge, that I've got to be conscious not to get too distracted,'' he said.

''There's a lot to get up to for me personally and for the whole team so I've got to work on trying not to deviate too much from the normal preparation.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times