WRITTEN off by many and paying as much as $14 in some betting markets, evergreen halfback Nic White remains confident the Wallabies are capable of giving this World Cup a "good shake".
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Australia have lost all five Test matches under new coach Eddie Jones in the last two months, but the Upper Hunter product and Maitland Blacks junior hopes they have timed their run to perfection in what will be his second, and likely final, appearance at the international tournament.
"Here we go again. I feel good. It's been a bit of a journey, the build up feels like it's been huge from the start of the year to now so it's hard to imagine it's actually here," White told the Newcastle Herald.
"I know it obviously doesn't look great with our win-loss record at the moment, I should say loss record, but there's real belief that we've timed this well, we're starting to build things and things are about to happen once we get over there.
"There's a real buzz about. We're going over there to do a job and come home with Bill [Webb Ellis Cup]."
The men's rugby union competition gets underway in France this weekend, including Australia's opener against Georgia in Paris on Sunday (2am AEST).
White, aged 33 and a 63-cap veteran, remains unsure exactly what role he'll play in round games or potentially the knockout stage.
Fellow scrumhalf Tate McDermott was recently elevated to Wallabies vice-captain and rookie Issak Fines-Leleiwasa came off the bench in a warm-up game against the hosts at Stade de France less than a fortnight ago.
"The desire to still have that No.9 [jersey] on my back is there," White said.
"I'm also a realist, always have been. I'm 33 and he [coach Jones] has picked a really young squad. They've earned it, but with a small eye to the future and what that looks like.
"I feel like I've got a really important role, along with a couple of other older boys within the squad, to help pass on a bit of wisdom, a bit of experience and help guide it. But also play a role that's good enough to be that starter and I've certainly been told, play well enough and train well enough and it's yours."
White, bound for Super Rugby franchise Western Force next year, narrowly missed World Cup selection in 2015 but scored an unexpected recall in 2019.
The Wallabies last held aloft the trophy in 1999, lost a final eight years ago and were most recently knocked out of quarters in Japan.
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In relation to Australia's first-up opponents, White was wary.
"They are really strong, really good at the set piece and just getting better and better. Gone are the days you hear the country Georgia and think about chalking up a win," he said.
The Wallabies also face Fiji (September 17), Wales (September 24) and qualifiers Portugal (October 1).
"I've had experience from all ends. The guys who missed out, I've been there and know how it feels. I've had a call from left field and we've got a couple of guys back from overseas. And now I've been around the last few years and I'm going in a bit older," White said.
"I can lean on a bit of what 2019 was like and try to free these guys up as much as possible to enjoy the tournament.
"It ain't going to be all smooth sailing and that's the best part of being at a World Cup as well - you've got to wait a long time for them, curve balls get thrown at you and you've got to adapt.
"I hope we go away, play some good footy, make everyone at home proud ... I know if we're all enjoying the World Cup experience we'll put ourselves in the best position to give this thing a good shake."
Late on Thursday night, White was named on Australia's bench for round one.
Josh Callinan
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury.
