Veteran Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White has confirmed his retirement, bringing down the curtain on a Test career that spanned over a decade and 77 caps in gold.
The 35-year-old initially bowed out after July’s British & Irish Lions series, but was coaxed back for four more starts in the Rugby Championship following an SOS call from the Wallabies, who had lost Jake Gordon to injury. With the Waratahs halfback now fit again, White says his farewell is final.
A social media post featuring 18 images marked the occasion, captioned simply: “F** I’m gonna miss it.”
One of the photos showed his most recent Test jersey, with “Test 77 & out!” scribbled by hand.
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Teammates were quick to joke about another comeback, while others saluted the career of Australia’s third-most capped scrumhalf, behind only George Gregan (139) and Will Genia (110).
White debuted against the All Blacks in Sydney in 2013, became Wallaby No 875, and went on to represent the Brumbies and Force in Super Rugby, as well as stints with Montpellier in France and the Exeter Chiefs in England.
He controversially missed out on the 2015 World Cup squad, but returned to Australia in 2019 and earned selection for the tournament in Japan.
Reflecting on his journey, White said ahead of his final Lions Test: “Pulling on the gold jersey was a dream of mine when I was a young boy in Scone, and to say I’ve done it 72 times, with one last crack on Saturday night, is something I’m incredibly proud of and a privilege I’ve never taken for granted.”
He added: “In the meantime, I’ll keep working hard with the Western Force, who have been an incredible support for me and my family since we moved west nearly two years ago. Hanging up the boots for good at the end of the year will also allow me to spend more time with my wife Mel and three boys Leo, Sonny and Vinnie – which is something I’m massively looking forward to.”
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Photo: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images
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