ACT Brumbies' path to Super Rugby glory starts in Jindabyne

But both of these young ACT Brumbies are determined to hold firm when it counts as they chase more minutes in Super Rugby's new era.

The Brumbies are in the midst of a pre-season camp in Jindabyne with coach Dan McKellar testing his side both on and off the football field as he lays the building blocks for Super Rugby success.

Players spent Sunday building rafts - some stayed solid and some fell to pieces - and canoeing across a lake where captain Allan Alaalatoa sat back and left Cadeyrn Neville to paddle the duo home.

Then they hit the track on Monday to refine preparations with Kuenzle chasing a chance to force his way into the club's No. 12 jersey. But not before he copped a drenching when his canoe tipped over.

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"A couple of the boys capsized, including me and Tross," Kuenzle said.

"I tried to splash Cusack, but after that he splashed me and I got rocked. Old Tross wasn't ready for it, and then he tipped us over. It's all his fault, Tom Ross.

"It's good mate, a bit of fun. A bit of raft building, kayaking, and a bit of cricket up there as well. We went for a bike ride too, it's been a bit of fun and we're enjoying it.

"[Pre-season camps are] massive, the camaraderie between the boys, you get to know the new fellas too.

"They're normally a really good three days, especially getting down here to Jindabyne and getting amongst the community after our training session. It's always good to get away with all the lads."

The 22-year-old played flyhalf in six games during the Brumbies' triumphant Super Rugby AU campaign before being unseated by Noah Lolesio in the final as he forced his way into Wallabies colours.

Lolesio is set to maintain a stranglehold on the No. 10 jersey while Irae Simone's performances at inside centre saw him gifted a start during the Wallabies' Bledisloe Cup campaign.

Outside centre, a position being chased by Len Ikitau following Tevita Kuridrani's defection to the Western Force, looms as another option for Kuenzle to earn more minutes.

But McKellar has dangled the No. 12 jersey in front of the emerging Sydney product as he looks to build on his fitness in search of a start in Super Rugby's new era.

"I think Dan has offered me to play a bit of 12 this year too, I'm looking forward to that challenge if I get an opportunity," Kuenzle said.

"I've just been working pretty hard over the preseason, I need to get fitter, I know that, and I think I've done pretty good hard yards over the five weeks before Chrissy and the two weeks after it.

"I just need to keep building as a player and keep enjoying playing my footy. Training has been tough, especially before Chrissy, we put in a big shift for five weeks.

"These past few weeks have been pretty tough again. We're just looking forward to it with all of the Wallabies boys coming back into camp, it should be good coming back into round one.

"Kind of do the same as last year. We had a really good squad of boys and we were quite successful. I'm just hoping we can get off to a good start.

"We obviously get to play some New Zealand teams this year too which will be really good. A lot of the boys are looking forward to that, hopefully we can get off to a really good start in the year."

The Brumbies will return to Canberra early this week having run an open training session at JJ Connors Oval in Jindabyne to build a connection with fans in the region.

But the left-field team building exercises won't be left behind - the Brumbies are bound for the Canberra Aqua Park this week as officials prepare to reveal plans for a trial match before the February 19 Super Rugby AU opener against the Western Force.