‘I couldn’t be happier’: Wallaby Nic White signs with Western Force
Looking to “grow the game” in Western Australia, the Force have landed a major coup by signing Wallaby Nic White to a two-year deal from next season.
The Wallabies have some world-class talent to choose from at halfback, but veteran Nic White is clearly the frontrunner for the No. 9 jersey ahead of this year’s Rugby World Cup.
White played 12 Test matches in Wallaby gold last year, including 10 starts, which allowed him to regularly showcase his skill, grace and poise on the international stage.
Under new Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, White will hold the key for the team at this year’s World Cup – and the 32-year-old will continue to play an important role for the years to come.
While there were reports last week that White might be heading west, the Force officially confirmed on Tuesday morning that the Wallaby had penned a deal with the franchise.
Looking to contribute to this year’s World Cup campaign and the British and Irish Lions series in 2025, White has signed a two-year contract extension with Australian Rugby.
“I couldn’t be happier to be sticking around in Australian Rugby,” White said.
“There’s plenty to look forward to with the Rugby World Cup later this year and I’ve made no secret of my desire to be involved in the British and Irish Lions Tour in 2025.
“I’d like to thank everyone at the Brumbies and their supporters for the past four years. It’s a really special club and I’ll be doing everything I can to make this year a successful one.
“At the same time, the opportunity to join the Western Force I something that really appealed to me and my family and we’re looking forward to getting over there next year.”
With 270 first class appearances to his name, including decorated stints with Australian powerhouse the Brumbies, White is eager to bring his experience to a team that is “moving in the right direction.”
“This is an awesome opportunity for myself and my family. I am thrilled to stay in Australian Rugby and play for the Force next season,” White said in a Western Force statement.
“I am really looking forward to coming over and being part of the hard working environment Simon (Cron) has created. The club is moving in the right direction, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.
“What I feel like I can bring to the Force is my experience. I’ve been to three clubs now, Montpellier, Exeter and Brumbies, and have tasted success at all three, so I feel like I have a fairly good understanding of what success looks like and how much work goes into building a successful club and culture.
“I have had conversations with Simon about building a winning environment.
“As a team, you show what you can do on match day, but it all comes down to the process. It’s all about how hard you work in pre-season. It’s all about how hard you work in pre-season and Monday-Friday. This is an area I have a lot of knowledge to pass on and its importance.”
White played his 50th Test match in Wallaby gold last year, and has also plied his trade overseas with Montpellier and Exeter.
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones described White as a “world-class nine” in a statement shared by Rugby Australia.
Western Force coach Simon Cron shared a very similar message, as he explained why the star signing was so important for the growth and development of the sport in Perth.
“Nic is a great addition to the team,” Cron said.
“When we look at our team and the key jigsaw pieces for us to be successful, we look at recruitment and retention and what the player makeup looks like. Nic adds an enormous amount of experience.
“He is a winner, he is a brilliant leader and game manager. One of the things that excited me about Nic is that he fights until the last minute.
“One of the biggest areas we can grow is in our leadership groups. We have a number of emerging leaders here and the key thing for us to give them role models to learn from, Nic will be one of those.
“We are really excited, Nic comes with his wife Melissa and his boys, Sonny, Leo and Vincent, and we look forward to welcoming them to Perth.
“When the management here signed, we all agreed that we must grow the game here in Western Australia. We need to do as much as possible to help the next step of players, coaches, and referees.
“Plenty of kids out there want to be the next Nic White, and the best way to foster this is to meet him and see him in action.”
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to comments