ACT Brumbies lock Nick Frost claims Rugby Australia Rookie of the Year award

From the tall, skinny kid who moved to Canberra in 2019, the ACT Brumbies lock has grown into a physically dominant forward.

Standing at a towering 206 centimetres tall, Frost has always been destined for a career in the second row.

The biggest challenge the former Australian Schoolboy faced has been filling out his giant frame and building a body capable of handling the rigours of opens rugby.

Frost has embraced the challenge and worked with Brumbies high-performance staff to bulk up and put on nine kilograms since 2020.

The lock now tips the scales at 119kg and looks right at home in the Super Rugby and Test arenas.

"I've always been tall and skinny," Frost said. "Ever since I've been in a proper rugby environment, it's always been about putting on weight and bulking up, having extra food, little meals here and there.

"It's good to try and add a bit more weight each year and to get a bit stronger. You can always be stronger, fitter, faster, little pieces to your game to try and add on."

The fruits of Frost's hard work became clear during a breakout 2022, in which he starred for the Brumbies and earned a Wallabies call up.

His development accelerated on the end of season tour and the 23-year-old produced a series of impressive performances against physical European forward packs.

He was named on Wednesday the 2022 Rugby Australia Rookie of the Year and looks set to play a key role in the upcoming World Cup and 2025 British and Irish Lions tour.

Had Frost pursued another path, however, a Wallabies debut may never have eventuated.

The lock signed with Japanese club Panasonic Wild Knights before agreeing to a deal to remain in Australia until the end of 2025.

A conversation with former Brumbies coach Dan McKellar planted the seeds for the change in mind and Frost is thrilled with how the situation has played out.

"It's been a bit of a whirlwind from this time last year and that decision to go over to Japan," he said. "I'm very thankful with how things have worked out. I'm very thankful I stayed at the Brumbies and had an opportunity at the international level.

"I really enjoyed that, that was always what I wanted to do as a kid growing up. It was a great experience, then going on playing a few games on [the spring] tour was a dream come true."

While thrilled to receive an individual accolade, Frost has his sights firmly set on team success this year.

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With both a Super Rugby title and World Cup up for grabs, the lock is determined to help the Brumbies and Wallabies secure the silverware.

The side will look to avenge last year's semi-final defeat in Sunday's clash with the Auckland Blues.

With the Blues defeating the Highlanders 60-20 last weekend, Frost said the Brumbies can't afford to allow emotions to become a distraction in Melbourne.

"It's good to jump straight into some top-tier competition," he said. "We played the Tahs on Friday and a big game against the Blues. The past two times we played them last year, one and two point losses.

"There's a lot of mutual respect between the teams, we go at it, it's good fun. We're really keen to throw the kitchen sink at them and play without fear."

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