‘We’re going somewhere’: Wallaby Nic White re-signs with Western Force

Wallabies scrum-half Nic White has re-signed with the Western Force for another Super Rugby season, having already played 23 matches for the club since joining from the ACT Brumbies after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

White has played 71 Test matches for the Wallabies and is hoping to add to that tally during the upcoming British & Irish Lions Series. Under coach Joe Schmidt, White started Test matches against South Africa, New Zealand and Wales in 2024.

With the Force out west, White has featured heavily in the starting side alongside fly-half Ben Donaldson in the halves. White finished inside the top 10 this season for passes (571), and the halfback’s kicking game has also been effective in big games.

Force coach Simon Cron selected White in the run-on side at halfback nine times this season, and also called the Super Rugby veteran to come off the bench on another two occasions against the Blues and Brumbies.

The Force showed signs of promise and growth this season, snapping a long-lasting losing run against the Brumbies in Canberra and going to Super Point with the playoff-bound Hurricanes in Perth, and White is looking forward to playing a role in what’s to come.

“I’m excited to extend my stay with the Force,” White said in a statement.

“The big factors for me were family and the Club’s direction. My young family love it here in Perth and we really wanted to stay.

“As a Club, I genuinely believe we’re going somewhere here. This season didn’t finish the way we’d like but the promise we showed at the start was really encouraging. The job is now to build on that and that project is really motivating.

“There were opportunities to go elsewhere but my family and I wanted to stay here and I’m really excited about the prospect of being part of the first Force side to make Super Rugby finals. That’s a major goal and driver of mine.”

White featured in the starring side against Moana Pasifika, the Brumbies, the Queensland Reds, the NSW Waratahs, the Fijian Drua, the Reds again, and the Highlanders before dropping to the bench for two matches.

Those fixtures saw White reach the 23-game mark for the Force, reaching a grand total of 135 Super Rugby matches throughout his decorated career. As an established Wallaby, White is likely among the frontrunners to make the squad to face the Lions.

“Whitey feels strongly about his ability to still add an enormous amount of value next year and we agree as an organisation,” coach Cron added.

“He brings high standards and high expectations to everyone around him, which is a really important part of high-performance sport.

“His rugby brains will not only help develop other nines but also drive the team forward to where we want to go. He’s a unique and important part of the rugby landscape in Australia and we’re lucky to have to him.”