Maitland Blacks junior Nic White may have put a line through next year’s World Cup, but the former Wallabies halfback is already eyeing off France 2023.
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White, who turned 28 while home in Australia last week, has re-signed with English Premiership side Exeter Chiefs for the 2018-2019 season having wrapped up the most recent campaign on May 26.
And while he now feels Japan 2019 is out of the question, wearing a gold jersey at the following international tournament in five years time could be within reach.
“I think rugby players are playing longer and longer,” Scone-bred White told the Newcastle Herald.
“As much as people think old head and that I’ve played a lot of footy now, I’d like to think I’m only half way through my career.
“I think the year I’ve just had with Exeter is certainly the best footy I’ve played in my career and I’d like to think I’m getting better.
“So I hope one day that opportunity [to play a World Cup] comes. I’ll probably line myself up contractually wise to leave the door open after this World Cup [2019]. I’ve put a line through that World Cup … but if I’m playing good enough footy then [2023], something could possibly happen and it’s something I’d jump at. Maybe a World Cup at 33.”
White, who earned 22 Test caps and made 67 Super Rugby appearances for the ACT Brumbies, has been playing overseas since missing selection for the last World Cup in England in 2015.
Both current Wallaby scrum halves Will Genia, 30, and Nick Phipps, 29, were then ahead of White in the No.9 stakes under now coach Michael Cheika.
White opted to leave the nation’s capital and sign a lucrative, three-year deal with French club Montpellier.
A month out from the 2015 World Cup, White almost played himself back into contention by coming off the bench and scoring 10 points in as many minutes to help Australia beat New Zealand for the first time in four years and claim The Rugby Championship.
He didn’t make the 31-man squad with Wallabies veteran Matt Giteau also brought in from Europe as a utility.
A little over 12 months ago, after two seasons at Montpellier, White broke the last year of his contract to join Exeter and hasn’t looked back since.
“It’s kind of like the Maitland of the UK,” White said.
“There’s a lot of people who live there, so it’s certainly a city, but it has that big country town feel about it. Very friendly, very laid back and only half an hour away from the coast.
“I think there’s a reason why Exeter has six or seven Australians in the squad. They really fit the culture.”
White, whose first son Leo was born in February, lined-up at Twickenham last month but the Chiefs were beaten 27-10 by Saracens in the English Premiership final.
- Former Maitland Blacks fullback, Newcastle Wildfires and NSW Country representative Nathan Friis died on Sunday after a long-term cancer battle. He was 47.