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'The best 10 minutes of my life!': Ben White on incredible debut

By PA
(Photo by PA)

Ben White has described his early try-scoring debut cameo for Scotland as the best ten minutes of his life. The 23-year-old London Irish scrum-half, in the squad for the first time, was called into action after just twelve minutes of Saturday’s Calcutta Cup match against England when Ali Price had to go off for a head injury assessment.

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White enjoyed a dream introduction to international rugby as he scored a try within five minutes of entering the action and then departed the field shortly afterwards when Price was deemed ready to return. It proved a crucial score in a narrow 20-17 victory for the Scots.

“When I came off the pitch and was back sitting on the bench, some of the lads were like ‘how was it?’ and I was like ‘the best 10 minutes of my life!’” said White. “Getting on like that, so early in the game, was good because it took away the nerves and the anxiety of waiting until the last 20 minutes to get on.

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“To be thrown in at the deep end was almost like a good thing because you just go on and do your job. It was an incredible experience. Words can’t do it justice. It was absolutely amazing. The stadium was electric, it was incredible.”

Stoke-born White has been overwhelmed by the response to his debut exploits. “My friends and family were over the moon and incredibly proud,” he said. “The warmth of the Scotland fans has been incredible and the messages I’ve received have been incredible. It’s something I really appreciate. It’s meant so much to pull on that jersey.

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“The coaching staff and the players have been brilliant with me ever since I set foot in camp. The way everyone’s got behind me and helped me learn everything and get to know everyone has been amazing. I’ve absolutely loved every second of it. It’s been a dream come true.

“It’s a very tight-knit group. Everyone has been incredibly friendly and helpful. From coming into this environment you can see how close the squad is and how good the bond is between the players. And it shows on the pitch.”

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White hopes to win his second cap when Scotland face Wales in the Principality Stadium on Saturday. “Our main focus now is Wales,” said White. “The England game was brilliant but it doesn’t mean anything if it’s not backed up the following week. We need to push on and try and get a win down at the Principality.”

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J
Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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