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Nic White's Wallaby World Cup dream is alive thanks to Rob Baxter's generosity
By Online Editors
Nic White’s dreams of representing Australia at the 2019 World Cup have been given the thumbs up by Rob Baxter, the Exeter coach who admitted he had no hesitation in coming to a contractual agreement that clears the way for the scrum-half to be available for the finals.
The Chiefs have agreed that the Australian can leave the Gallagher Premiership club at the end of the 2019/20 season, a situation that has allowed White to organise a deal with a Super Rugby franchise and make himself eligible to be picked by Wallaby boss Michael Cheika.
The 28-year-old, who began his career at the Brumbies before moving to French side Montpellier, joined Exeter in 2017 and has scored 10 tries in 44 appearances for the club ahead of this weekend's clash with defending league champions Saracens at Sandy Park.
"Nic's got our full blessing," said Baxter to BBC Sport. "He's fully contracted with us now for this season and the season coming, but by signing for an Australian franchise, that allows Australia to pick him now which makes him available for the World Cup.
"Nic's always wanted to play in a World Cup, it's been a big ambition of his. As much as we'd like Nic to stay here long term, he's a very good player for us and done very well, there is a reality that we also think it's part of what we're about that if we can help someone reignite their career and do well that we don't want to stand in their way.”
"You'd like to keep all your top players and keep adding to it, but that isn't the reality," said Baxter.
"We'll keep our eye on the market, interesting players will become available, but first and foremost we'll look at the form of the young nines we've got here and see if we start to anticipate a year's time is the right time for them all to step up and fight for the one, two and three spots just on their own."
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Latest Comments
Agree with Wilson B- at best. And that is down to skilled individual players who know how to play the game - not a cohesive squad who know their roles and game plan. For those who claim that takes time to develop, the process is to keep the game plan simple at first and add layers as the squad gels and settles in to the new systems. Lack of progress against the rush D, lack of penetration and innovation in the mid-field, basic skill errors and loose forwards coming second in most big games all still evident in game 14 of the season. Hard to see significant measureable progress.
Go to commentsKeep telling yourself that. The time for a fresh broom is at the beginning - not some "balanced, incremental" (i.e. status quo) transition. All teams establish the way forward at the beginning. This coaching group lacked ideas and courage and the players showed it on the pitch. Backs are only average. Forwards are unbalanced and show good set piece but no domination in traditional AB open play. Unfortunately, Foster - Mark 2. You may be happy with those performances and have some belief in some "cunning plan" but I don't see any evidence of it. Rassie is miles ahead and increasing the gap.
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