Nic White says Noah Lolesio has a golden chance to make the Wallabies' No. 10 jersey his own as the pair shun international offers to join forces for a World Cup dream.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Their next step comes at Canberra Stadium in a top-of-the-table clash against the Auckland Blues, with Lolesio poised to return from a concussion for the Saturday night showdown.
White has joined Lolesio in re-signing with the ACT Brumbies and Rugby Australia until the end of 2023, with the veteran scrumhalf vowing to play on until at least 2025 to get a shot at the touring British and Irish Lions.
Cashed-up Japanese clubs launched raids on the Brumbies duo at the same time, but both have committed to Australia ahead of next year's World Cup in a coup for Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.
White took the overseas route earlier in his career and spent moments thinking his chances of returning to Australian rugby were dead. He landed at Montpellier where to some it seemed collecting a pay cheque meant more than on-field success. White was effectively out of sight and out of mind for Australian selectors.
MORE RUGBY UNION
He didn't want his teammate and one of the game's brightest prospect to make the same mistake.
"I've passed that onto a lot of young guys asking questions. I left at a pretty young age and I did make it pretty clear, at the time I did feel like I'd make a mistake," White said.
"I said 'if you do go, make sure you're playing for a good side over there so you're certainly in the forefront of everyone's mind back home and they want to get you back'.
"If you go overseas and you go to a club that isn't doing so well and you're not playing that well, it's very hard to get back. There's a lot of guys overseas that would love to come home and there's only a few of us that have actually been given that opportunity.
"I consider myself very lucky. I had to work hard to get it, but there was a long time there when I thought that opportunity would never come.
"Selfishly stoked [Lolesio] is here for [our] combination, but I also think it was a really good decision for him in the long run. At such a young age, with Bernie [Stephen Larkham] coming back, with other guys in his position getting a little bit older, he'll be pushing to take that jersey for his own at Wallaby level. If not, he'll be like a sponge soaking it up from those older guys.
"Just around the corner is the Lions and 2027, and he'll be in the frame for that. Again, nine and 10s, they're positions of learning and experience, and if we can build up that here in Australia, he's one for the future, for sure."
The Brumbies, steered by White and Lolesio, have set the pace for Australia's Super Rugby teams as they close in on a home quarter-final.
White can sense belief growing among Australian teams in Super Rugby, igniting hopes the Wallabies can beat the English in July before going on to break their Bledisloe Cup drought against the All Blacks.
It would be just the result to spark a wave of optimism among fans about Australia's World Cup chances in France next year.
"Everyone knows what we're capable of. There's still a lot of hard work to go but we're building and hopefully timing it right leading into the World Cup," White said.
"This English series will be very important for us. If we can do a job there, and do well in the Rugby Championship and bring the Bledisloe home, we're starting to knock up some good wins and a bit of a reputation. It's all there for us that it can really happen and really quickly.
"The World Cup is not that far away when you think about Test matches between now and that World Cup. There's some really important ones and we're building in the right direction. There's a lot of hard work still yet to be done and they're some bloody tough teams to beat.
"It'll start in this English series. If we can win that series, it'll put us on the trajectory that we can go a long way.
"We're not where we need to be now, but it's not 2023 yet and it's not the World Cup yet. We've got an opportunity to do well and that's all it is at the moment. We've got to make sure we work bloody hard and make that a reality."
SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC ROUND 14
Saturday: ACT Brumbies v Auckland Blues at Canberra Stadium, 7.45pm. Tickets from Ticketek. Broadcast live on Stan Sport.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram