The Brumbies are still searching for a halfback for next year, but French-bound Nic White says that shouldn't get in the way of a fourth straight finals appearance.
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White has also left the door open for a possible return to the Brumbies once he completes his three-year contract with Montpellier.
The 24-year-old's World Cup dream remains on the cards after he was included in a preliminary 40-man Wallabies squad for The Rugby Championship.
White's arrival at the Brumbies in 2011 coincided with the club's resurgence, reaching the Super Rugby finals for the past three years. The Brumbies lost the grand final to the Chiefs in 2013 before falling at the semi-final stage in successive years.
White believes expectations on the team will remain high despite several changes to the squad.
"As a group, we're earning a lot of respect over the last three years and we're playing some consistent footy.
"Semi-finals is an absolute minimum for this group."
The Brumbies are on the lookout for an experienced half to replace White and mentor Michael Dowsett and Joe Powell.
They made inquires with New Zealand veteran Andy Ellis and France's Freddie Michalak, but both decided to sign elsewhere.
White is in a three-way battle with NSW Waratahs No. 9 Nick Phipps and Queensland Reds star Will Genia as the Wallabies' starting halfback.
He will join the Wallabies in camp on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday in the lead-up to The Rugby Championship. Wallabies coach Michael Cheika will trim the squad to 31 players before the opening game.
Montpellier begins pre-season training next week, but White said when he arrives would depend on his Wallabies committments.
"They're pretty flexible, it depends on what squads I'm picked in," White said. "If I'm not picked, I can leave, but hopefully I do get picked. Either way, both of them [Montpellier and the ARU] have been very flexible and very understanding."
White said reaching the final in 2013 and road victories against the Stormers in Cape Town and the Bulls in Pretoria were among his favourite Brumbies moments.
He hasn't ruled out returning when his deal with Montpellier expires at the end of 2017.
"It's hard to know what my future self will be thinking in three years," he said.
"Three years ago, if someone said you'll be in Wallabies squads, potential to go to a World Cup and then joining Montpellier, I'd say you'll be absolutely dreaming. I'm certainly not closing any doors and play it as it goes."
The Brumbies broke an nine-year drought when they reached the finals in 2013, going all the way to the grand final before losing to the Chiefs.
They have gone down to the Waratahs and the Hurricanes one game shy of the final in the past two years.
"We see a successful season as winning the competition, so it's disappointing in that regard," White said. "We put ourselves in a good position to give it a real crack."
