Mention the name Spala to Irish rugby players from the early 2000s and their stomachs will turn. Located south of Warsaw, Poland, the Olympic training venue was nestled deep in a forest, miles from civilisation. The stark, isolated setting was deliberately chosen by the IRFU National Fitness Director Liam Hennessy as the perfect pre-season training location, free from any distractions. The Irish senior national squad first ventured there in 2001 for a gruelling 21-day training camp. One of Spala’s most notable features was its cryotherapy facility, a massive freezing chamber designed to accelerate recovery from training fatigue. The process was…

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