White dumps Brumbies for the Force

Veteran scrumhalf Nic White has shunned overseas offers to remain in Australian, but is moving from the Brumbies to the Western Force.

The 32-year-old has signed on until the end of 2025 and will head west at the end of the current Super Rugby Pacific season.

White, who will be a key part of the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign later this year, said he also wanted to face the British and Irish Lions in 2025.

With 59 Test caps, White spent the past four campaigns in Canberra in his second stint with the club after playing in France and England.

He originally made his Super Rugby debut with the Brumbies back in 2011.

With the Brumbies also boasting rising star Ryan Lonergan, White will add some class and experience to the Force stocks with Gareth Simpson heading back to England at the end of this season and Ian Prior in the twilight of his career.

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“I couldn’t be happier to be sticking around in Australian Rugby,” White said in a statement on Tuesday.

“There’s plenty to look forward to with the Rugby World Cup later this year and I’ve made no secret of my desire to be involved in the British and Irish Lions Tour in 2025.

“I’d like to thank everyone at the Brumbies and their supporters for the past four years – it’s a really special club and I’ll be doing everything I can to make this year a successful one.”

Western Force coach Simon Cron described White as a “winner” who would add valuable leadership.

“Nic is a great addition to the team,” Cron said.

“He is a winner, he is a brilliant leader and game manager and one of the things that excited me about Nic is that he fights until the last minute.

“We have a number of emerging leaders here and the key thing for us is to give them role models to learn from, Nic will be one of these.”