Latest news with #Scrumhalf
Irish Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Nic White puts Australia retirement on hold to answer SOS for South Africa tour
Scrumhalf Nic White has put his retirement on ice to join Australia's Rugby Championship squad for the tour of South Africa following an injury to regular number nine Jake Gordon. The 35-year-old White had declared the third and final British and Irish Lions Test in Sydney would be his last international match but on Thursday he was included in Joe Schmidt's 35-man squad for South Africa. Uncapped scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan will join 73-Test White in the squad for next week's clash against the world champions in Johannesburg and the second Test in Cape Town on August 23rd. Outhalf Tom Lynagh will miss the tour, though, after the injury he picked up while being cleared out of a ruck by Lions Skipper Dan Sheehan in the Wallabies' 22-12 win in Sydney and subsequently failing a head injury assessment. Sheehan subsequently received a four-week ban, which will be reduced to three subject to the Ireland and Leinster player successfully completing a coaching intervention course. READ MORE Tane Edmed replaces Lynagh in the squad, joining Ben Donaldson and James O'Connor among the outhalf options. Edmed's call-up caps a rollercoaster year for the 24-year-old whose Test debut against Ireland last November lasted three minutes before being forced off field with concussion. He had a miserable Super Rugby season with the New South Wales Waratahs, falling down the outhalf pecking order under coach Dan McKellar before announcing a switch to the ACT Brumbies next year. For all that, Edmed said he had not lost faith he would eventually find his way back to the Wallabies. 'I've been in close contact with Joe [Schmidt] and the coaches, and they've always said 'stay ready',' he told reporters on Thursday. 'And despite the Super competition probably not going the way I would have liked, I always felt like I was a chance.' With Allan Alaalatoa injured, uncapped prop Aidan Ross gets a chance. Schmidt also recalled uncapped winger Corey Toole while adding the Queensland trio of centre Josh Flook, hooker Josh Nasser and lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto among the new faces. Prop Taniela Tupou and hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa, a late inclusion for the third Lions test, were retained. Australia squad Backs: Ben Donaldson, Tane Edmed, Josh Flook, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, James O'Connor, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Corey Toole, Nic White, Tom Wright. Forwards: Angus Bell, Nick Champion De Crespigny, Billy Pollard, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Carlo Tizzano, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, James Slipper, Jeremy Williams, Josh Nasser, Langi Gleeson, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Nick Frost, Rob Valetini, Taniela Tupou, Tom Hooper, Tom Robertson, Will Skelton, Zane Nonggorr, Aidan Ross
CNA
07-08-2025
- Sport
- CNA
White puts retirement on hold to answer Wallabies SOS call
MELBOURNE :Scrumhalf Nic White has put his retirement on ice to join Australia's Rugby Championship squad for the tour of South Africa following an injury to regular number nine Jake Gordon. The 35-year-old White announced the third and final British & Irish Lions test in Sydney was to be his last international match but on Thursday he was included in Joe Schmidt's 35-man squad for South Africa. "White (is) putting his hand up to help the group again due to Gordon's injury, just a week after announcing his plans to retire," Rugby Australia said in a press release. Uncapped scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan will join 73-test White in the squad for next week's clash against world champions South Africa in Johannesburg and the second test in Cape Town on August 23. Flyhalf Tom Lynagh will miss the tour, though, after being struck high by Lions hooker Dan Sheehan in the Wallabies' 22-12 win in Sydney and subsequently failing a head injury assessment. One-test playmaker Tane Edmed replaces Lynagh in the squad, joining Ben Donaldson and James O'Connor among the flyhalf options. Schmidt has also included the uncapped duo of winger Corey Toole and prop Aidan Ross. Hooker Matt Faessler and stalwart prop Allan Alaalatoa were ruled out with injury but Taniela Tupou retains his place after his recall for the last Lions test. Schmidt also included the Queensland trio of centre Josh Flook, hooker Josh Nasser and lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto among the new faces. Western Force hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa was retained after his late call-up for the Sydney test. Hooker Dave Porecki, who missed Sydney with a cut heel, announced his retirement from professional rugby this week. Forwards - Angus Bell, Nick Champion De Crespigny, Billy Pollard, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Carlo Tizzano, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, James Slipper, Jeremy Williams, Josh Nasser, Langi Gleeson, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Nick Frost, Rob Valetini, Taniela Tupou, Tom Hooper, Tom Robertson, Will Skelton, Zane Nonggorr, Aidan Ross
Irish Times
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Lions v Wallabies head-to-heads: Jamison Gibson-Park v Nic White
Jamison Gibson-Park Position: Scrumhalf Age: 33 Height: 5ft 9in READ MORE Weight: 80kg (12st 8lbs) Lions Tests: 2 Points: 0 Why he's so important: There's always a rush to nominate the Lions players of a series and while Tadhg Beirne and Tom Curry would be front-runners, few would dispute that the Leinster and Ireland scrumhalf should be among the challengers. Not that he would care one iota. He's never been interested in the spotlight. He just gets on with playing the game, something he does brilliantly. He's made a big impact on this tour, from his stellar box-kicking to his general play. Take, for example, that number of times in the Test series that his decisions, vision, pass or ability to process information in a nanosecond has led to tries or key gains. Gibson-Park and his halfback partner Finn Russell have been the attacking bellwethers in driving the Lions team around the pitch. While his pack have provided a superb launch pad, Gibson-Park's innate footballing nous has maximised the impact of that good work. Taking into consideration how well England scrumhalf Alex Mitchell played in some of the non-Test games serves to emphasise just how good Gibson-Park has been in the marquee matches. Trivia: He grew up on the Great Barrier Island, a 4½-hour ferry crossing from Auckland. His mother Tara's family origins can be traced to Armagh. Nic White Australia's Nic White, Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Position: Scrumhalf Age: 35 Height: 5ft 9in Weight: 80kg (12st 8lbs) Caps: 72 Points: 46 Why he's so important: Have you heard the one about the chippy, chirpy scrumhalf? White embodies that rugby caricature on a pitch. Joe Schmidt's decision to replace last week's try scorer Jake Gordon, who had improved significantly on his first Test performance, has seen White come from outside the squad, leapfrogging Tate McDermott, who is once again on the bench. The one-time Montpellier and Exeter Chiefs scrumhalf has already declared that he will retire from international rugby after this game. He was a try scorer against the Lions when captaining the western Force in the opening match of the tour. White will bring a presence to the nine shirt, a fast pass, a good kicking game and a combative streak that will engage his opponents verbally and physically. His experience and his ability to mix up the game and take some of the decision-making from outhalf Tom Lynagh's hands are important tools but only if the pack provides him with the quality of possession from which he can build. Trivia: Three years ago, he clocked the fastest pass (72km/h) in a speed-gun competition set up by Rugby World, edging out former All Blacks scrumhalf Aaron Smith, France's Antoine Dupont and Springbok Faf de Klerk, in that order. White's fifth and final attempt was a reverse flick that claimed the record.
CNA
07-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Australia scrumhalf Gordon signs on for two more years
SYDNEY :Scrumhalf Jake Gordon on Wednesday joined a string of fellow Wallabies in rejecting lucrative offers from abroad and committing to Australian rugby through to the end of the 2027 World Cup. Gordon, who had attracted offers from French, English and Japanese clubs, said he was excited by the prospect of facing the British & Irish Lions in July and August this year as well as making his World Cup debut on home soil. "I felt I had my best year for the Wallabies in 2024 and I'm certainly hoping to continue that progress and put my best foot forward to be part of the major milestones coming up here on home soil in the Lions Series and home Rugby World Cup," he said in a Rugby Australia statement. The 31-year-old started nine tests last season and looks likely to vie with Tate McDermott for the number nine shirt in the three tests against the Lions. Gordon will continue to play Super Rugby for the New South Wales Waratahs, the Sydney-based club he has captained since the start of 2021. "I have strong confidence in the direction the Waratahs are heading in and I want to continue to work hard to contribute to the success of the team," he added. Gordon will return from a knee injury for the Waratahs on Saturday as they look to maintain their unbeaten home record this season and reignite their playoff hopes against the ACT Brumbies. Wallabies Len Ikitau, Fraser McReight, Nick Frost, Harry Wilson, Jeremy Williams, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Matt Philip, Isaac Kailea and Lachlan Lonergan have all recently signed contract extensions with Rugby Australia (RA). "(Jake) is someone who works hard and drives standards, and there's no doubt his experience at both state and international level will be important moving forward," said Peter Horne, RA's director of high performance.
