Former Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White has pledged his commitment to a three-year deal in France despite the man who lured him overseas firming as the favourite to be appointed England's head coach.
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White also backed his ACT Brumbies replacement Tomas Cubelli to add an X-factor to Super Rugby next year after the Argentinian No. 9 signed a two-year deal to move to Canberra.
White flew back to France on Friday night with his Montpellier coach and former Brumbies boss Jake White looming as England's saviour after their disastrous World Cup campaign.
Jake White was one of the major factors in Nic White's decision to quit Australian rugby at the end of the Super Rugby season this year to sign a lucrative deal in the south of France.
But Nic White says he will stay at Montpellier even if Jake White, who led South Africa to World Cup triumph in 2007, is called on to rebuild England's broken rugby program.
"Jake was a huge drawcard for me going to Montpellier and I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't be disappointed if he left," Nic White said.
"Jake's a world-class coach and there's not too many World Cup-winning coaches out there at the moment. He doesn't hide his ambition to coach international rugby again and have a crack at another one.
"He's like anyone, he takes an opportunity when it comes. We've got a great squad and I'm really, really happy. It wouldn't be all doom and gloom, I'll be fulfilling my commitment to Montpellier for three years. I've still got a long journey ahead of me."
The Brumbies finalised a deal on Friday to secure Cubelli as White's replacement for the 2016 Super Rugby season.
His move to the Brumbies has been mooted for some time and after lengthy discussions with ACT coach Stephen Larkham before and during the World Cup, Cubelli made the call to move to Australia.
He will be the Brumbies' foreign marquee player after Larkham went on a worldwide search to find a replacement for Wallabies' No. 9 White.
Cubelli has played 45 Tests for Argentina and he will join the Brumbies at pre-season training in the coming weeks.
His decision to move to Canberra will put him in direct competition with his Los Pumas teammates when Argentina join Super Rugby for the first time next year.
The 26-year-old will still be eligible to play for Argentina in the Rugby Championships at the end of the Super Rugby season.
White revealed he had spoken to Cubelli after Australia played Argentina in a Test about the prospect of him moving to Canberra.
"I jokingly said to Bernie [Larkham] a few years ago, 'you should look at this guy'. [Cubelli] said to me after a game what would I think if he came to Canberra. I told him to hold on," White laughed.
"He's a really good guy, he'll fit in with the culture and the guys there. He'll add another dimension, his running game is really strong and he's got plenty of X-factor. He'll add something different to the Brumbies for sure."
Cubelli will battle with Michael Dowsett and Joe Powell for starting scrumhalf honours.
The Brumbies start pre-season testing and medicals at the end of next week before returning to field sessions. Recruit Andrew Smith has left Montpellier and is back in Australia while teenage sensation Nick Jooste will be on deck for the first day of training.
