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'We're not learning anything new' - Super Rugby champs ready to 'hit the ground running' says White

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Wallabies halfback Nic White believes the Brumbies only need to make minor tweaks to challenge for back-to-back Super RugbyAU crowns.

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The Brumbies beat the Queensland Reds 28-23 in last year’s final to break their 16-year title drought.

The Canberra-based franchise have been installed as early favourites for 2021, with the Reds again expected to be their strongest challenger.

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White, who made his Brumbies return late last season after a five-year absence, feels they are well placed to launch another successful run.

“A lot of the squad has stayed unchanged, and a lot of what we’re doing, unchanged,” White said.

“We’re ready to hit the ground running. We’re not learning anything new, it’s just about making a few tweaks from what we did last year, and using each day to get better.

“From that side of things it’s a little bit easier coming from a successful season – you don’t have to change too much.”

White is looking forward to spending a full season at the Brumbies after a combined five years at French outfit Montpellier and English side Exeter Chiefs.

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“It’s been a big couple of years, and I feel mentally freshened up from that break and ready to hit the ground running. It’s not too long until we’re into games,” White said.

The 30-year-old played all six Tests for the Wallabies in 2020, and will be aiming to continue his strong form.

Lachie Albert, Ryan Lonergan, and Issak Fine will battle it out to be White’s No.9 understudy at the Brumbies this season.

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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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