Nic White recalls moment that brutally ended his last Lions dream

Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White says it felt like his world ended when injury robbed him of the chance to face the British and Irish Lions 12 years ago, but the stars are finally aligning for him.

White was just 22 and on the cusp of making his Wallabies debut when the Lions last toured Australia in 2013.

His dreams of facing the Lions soon turned into heartbreak when injury cruelled his chances.

“I was in the squad going in to play the Lions. It was myself and Will Genia, so it was looking pretty good,” White told AAP.

“They said, ‘look, go down and get some minutes’, because realistically I hadn’t played any international footy at this stage.

“So I went back to play for the Brumbies, in the last game of Super Rugby, and broke my shoulder in the first few minutes of that game.”

The injury was a crushing blow for White.

“At the time, it feels like your world’s ended,” he said.

“It’s something that you’ve built up so big in your mind, you’re so close, you can almost taste it, and it just gets ripped out underneath you.

“I thought there was no chance I’d be in the frame 12 years later, so I felt there goes my shot.”

When asked if the stars are now aligning for him, White replied: “Yeah, a little bit.

“It feels like things are coming right at the right time.

“The Olympics is one in four years, World Cups in any sport are one in four years. Facing the Lions is a once-in-a-12-year event.

“For those who are lucky enough to play against the Lions, it’s a very special luck. The stars need to align.”

White only needs to look at the Force’s list of champions to realise how lucky you need to be to face the Lions.

“One of the greats at the Force, Nathan Sharpe, is a great example of a guy who missed the Lions and had an amazing career,” White said.

“He’s one of the great Wallabies.

“He came in just after the Lions and finished just before the Lions. He never got to play them.

“You can be great and not play them. You can be injured and miss out of them.

“To be able to play them is special. It’s four countries in one. It’s the best of the best you’re up against, especially at the moment.”

For now, White is fully focused on helping the Force buck the odds and gatecrash the Super Rugby Pacific finals.

Their season begins on Saturday night at home to Moana Pasifika, who are also being tipped to struggle this season.

The Force will unveil nine club debutants with recruits Nic Dolly, Darcy Swain, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Sio Tomkinson, Divad Palu and Mac Grealy all named in the starting line-up.

Former All Blacks prop Atu Moli and Wallabies winger Dylan Pietsch will make their debuts off the bench.

Front-rowers Harry Hoopert and Harry Johnson-Holmes have been ruled out for the season after suffering ACL tears.