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Scotland scrumhalf Ben White to stay in France

Ben White of Toulon looks on during the Investec Champions Cup match between Northampton Saints and RC Toulon at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens on December 15, 2023 in Northampton, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Scotland scrum-half Ben White has secured his future with Toulon by signing an extension that keeps him in the red and black until 2026.

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The 25-year-old talent switched to Toulon from now-defunct Gallagher Premiership outfit London Irish last year. White is clearly enjoying life in the south of France. Arriving fresh from his World Cup duties with Scotland he wasted little time in committing his immediate future to the club.

“I extended for two seasons at Toulon because I feel really good here,” said White on Toulon’s website. “The coaches are great, the players and supporters are incredible. I think there is something to do here. When I signed I didn’t just want to come and play for a year and leave. I wanted to get involved, discover the culture, the language and develop as a player. For me it was the right place for that. The most important thing is to help the team to win.

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“I want to be in a club that has big ambitions and Toulon is the right place to win trophies and be at the best level. For me, it’s a great challenge to take on. The way the group welcomed me m made me want to extend. I haven’t been here for long but I like getting to know the people here and creating links with them. I’m going to give everything for this club over the next two years. They trusted me and I want to give back to them,” concluded White.

In international terms, White rapidly became a key player for Gregor Townsend’s Scotland since making his debut in 2022 and has now surpassed seasoned players Ali Price and George Horne for the number nine jersey for Scotland.

White left Leicester Tigers at the end of the 2020/21 season, before putting pen to paper on a deal with the Exiles. White had made history at Tigers, when he became the youngest player in Leicester’s Premiership history when he came off the bench against Harlequins in September 2016, aged just 17 years and 151 days.

He made 71 appearances in all competitions for the Welford Road club.

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G
GrahamVF 1 hour ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.


"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"


After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

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