Joe Powell was a phone call away from joining the Wallabies for a grand slam tour of Europe, but the ACT Brumbies halfback is using his taste of Test action to fuel his Super Rugby ambitions.
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So instead of playing at some of the most daunting venues in world rugby, Powell was running laps and rolling in sand as Canberra's junior cricketers watched on Saturday.
The Brumbies finished their first full week of pre-season training with a gut-busting fitness session on that left some players dry-retching at Southwell Park.
Powell has been given a leadership role despite preparing for just his second full Super Rugby season and the 22-year-old was on the verge of a Wallabies call-up last month.
"This year a lot of things happened that I was expecting, so now I'm just making sure I'm not riding the wave of that," Powell said.
"I don't want to get caught napping and then lose the good work I've done. I've learnt a lot this year and the challenge is to keep improving.
"I think I was in the Wallabies [training squad] just to see how it all works and now I know that, I want to get back there next year. Any time in the future would be great."
The Brumbies have overhauled their pre-season training schedule this year in a bid to help players handle fatigue better when the Super Rugby campaign begins.
The players spent Saturday morning using the beach volleyball courts in Lyneham as a fitness circuit before sprints on Southwell Park.
Straight-line running made up the bulk of the Brumbies' conditioning program last year, with players spending most of the week building their running capabilities.
But athletic performance director Ben Serpell has worked with the coaching staff to introduced rugby-based fitness to spur new interest.
The incentive for the players is simple: put in the fitness work in rugby drills and avoid the dreaded pre-season running schedule.
"We're always looking at our GPS numbers to make sure they're getting enough [kilometres] in the legs," Serpell said.
"The onus is basically on them to work hard in the games we play because if they don't they know they've got to come out here and do the boring straight-line running.
"If they work together in the sessions and drive each other, they're rewarded with minimal amount of straight-line running."
Powell is part of an eight-man leadership, with interim coach Dan McKellar giving young players a chance to step up and take charge in the absence of a captain.
"I guess I'm helping out others and making sure I don't cut corners because I don't want anyone to do that," Powell said.
"I feel like I'm still learning everything, but there's eight of us doing [the leadership duties] so I know I can lean on them for help."
