Nic White isn’t spending any time getting distracted about returning to the ACT Brumbies for the first time since switching to the Western Force, instead focused on earning his new side’s first win for the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.
White made over 100 Super Rugby appearances for the Brumbies over two stints from 2011 to 2015 and 2020 to 2023, before heading west in the off-season.
The Force and Brumbies meet on Saturday from 11:35am WST, marking the 33-year-old scrum-half’s maiden return to GIO Stadium since the move. He acknowledged it would be emotional but was focused on righting the Force’s wrongs after two defeats to start the campaign.
"It may take a little bit of time but we’ll build it properly,” White told reporters in Canberra on Friday morning.
“I think you saw last week for 50 minutes some really good footy. We need to put that together. There’s certainly plenty of signs there, it’s just about doing that consistently.
“There's certainly no panic stations around what we're doing, it's just about doing it better and doing it for longer periods of time, there's been some really good glimpses both with the ball in attack and in defence.
“We’re a young group and it’s just going to take a bit of time. We’re hoping for an improved performance. If we perform really, we know we’ll put the Brumbies under a bit of pressure and then it’s anyone’s game.”
Force head coach Simon Cron echoed White’s sentiment when reflecting on last Friday’s 48-34 loss to the Melbourne Rebels, having le 34-19 before conceding 29 unanswered points.
“The key thing for us to keep building the players we’ve got,” Cron said. “My assistant coach sums it up really well when he says ‘it’s not the house you’re in, it’s the house you’re building’.
“Our players are building a house right now. They’re at a stage where there’s a lot of guys still growing into the game. There’s a lot of boys on their first Super Rugby experience.
“Are they doing well? Yeah, there’s some boys really standing out that we’re excited about. We’ve just got to keep helping them grow.
“Moments like the weekend, that last 30 minutes, it comes down to some rugby brains. Understanding where we are in the game, we’re still leading, calm the heads, stick to the plan. That’ll come with time on the park.”
White’s return to Canberra is made extra emotional following the passing of Brumbies stalwart Garry ‘Quinzo’ Quinlivan in October last year.
In the Brumbies’ first home game of the season, the Club will recognise ‘Quinzo’ who was a long-time Club volunteer and foundation Brumbies Family Member, Life Member of ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union plus a good friend of White.
“The thing I know is going to be the hardest is coming out without Garry there,” White said.
“He was the last person you’d see coming onto the field as a Brumbie. I had it on my mind coming here would be tough to see Quinzo running out on to the field. Unfortunately he’s not going to be here.
“Tomorrow is going to be pretty emotional for a lot of people. What a day to celebrate a man who has not only given so much to the brumbies but also Rugby Australia. I’ll be doing my best to put on a performance that Garry would be proud of.”
