'I want to give them what I had': The baby boys inspiring ACT Brumbies star Nic White in Super Rugby AU

Sure, the COVID-19 pandemic has been "a bloody nightmare". Having a baby in the middle of the UK's lockdown was "a little bit scary".

But the silver lining for the ACT Brumbies scrumhalf is it meant he was home for all of those special moments, and a return to Canberra is allowing White and wife Melissa to create more with two-year-old Leo and newborn Sonny.

Often it's the little things, like Leo pointing out his dad during a game on TV and saying "daddy, rugby, daddy." He's still learning - sometimes he'll do it when dad is in the room, leaving White to say "no mate, I'm here on the couch, that's the Waratahs and the Force".

So it seems fitting that White has been nominated for Sports Dad of the Year alongside 10 other elite athletes. But it isn't the prospect of his name on a plaque that means most.

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It is the chance to donate $5000 - should he receive the most votes - to RUN DIPG, an organisation spearheaded by Matt Dun dedicated to those impacted by the deadliest form of childhood cancer.

Dun's daughter Josephine passed away aged four in December, 22 months after being diagnosed with brainstem cancer, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.

Most don't last nearly as long, which is why White wants to help. Which is why, when he brings his boys into headquarters on a day off, he realises how lucky he is.

"I'm not sure if he'll remember it at two, but Leo knows what rugby is. We'll drive past the fields and he starts crying because he wants to jump out and go there," White said.

"It happened overseas, we used to drive past the stadium to go home and he'd lose it there at Exeter. He'd say 'Chief, Chief, Chief', and want to get out. I just stopped and said 'you know what mate, you want to get in there? Let's go'.

"I brought him in here last week, he was doing rehab runs with [James Slipper and Tom Wright]. He wanted to come in, and I thought 'what else are we going to do?' I let him run around with them. I'll tell Dan he's ready to go if he needs a fifth halfback."

As for Sonny? There may be a place for him too.

"We might have a little 9-10 axis down there. I'm not sure who is going to be barking the orders, there'll be a lot of talk and not a lot of listening," White said.

"Between the three of us, I feel sorry for Mel. She'll need a lot of day spa treatments once she can go again. She's got three boys at the moment, me and those two. She's the rock of our family."

Because come game day she looks after the kids while White goes to work, much like he will when the Brumbies meet the Western Force in a Super Rugby AU game at Canberra Stadium on Friday night.

There he sets an example for a different group. Ask Brumbies coach Dan McKellar and he'll tell you having White in the side is like having a coach on the field. Here's a guy who is "going to teach a lot of players about what a really good professional rugby player looks like".

"He turns up on Monday morning with a couple of pages of notes, thoughts on his own game and the team's performance. He does all of that work on a Sunday," McKellar said.

"I remember when he left in 2015, it was tough for him. He loves the Brumbies and loves Canberra, and being a part of our environment. To be back wearing the jersey again .... it's nice for him and his family to be home, back around their own family, and enjoying being back at the Brumbies family."

White is the only boy among five siblings, Melissa the only girl among three. So there may be more kids on the way eventually. A dream of White's which is, in truth, more important than any Super Rugby title or Wallabies cap is a big family where siblings are your best friends.

"I want to give them what I had. I keep telling Mel's parents and my parents, if we can be half as good as them, we'll be happy," White said.

"We've got a big car, now we've got to fill the seats."

*Click here to vote for Nic White to be recognised as the Sports Dad of the Year. The award highlights 10 elite athletes, who have this year been drawn together from across Australia's sporting codes. Voting closes at 11.59pm on September 1.

SUPER RUGBY AU ROUND NINE

Friday: ACT Brumbies v Western Force at Canberra Stadium, 7.05pm.

Brumbies squad: 1. James Slipper, 2. Connal McInerney, 3. Allan Alaalatoa (c), 4. Murray Douglas, 5. Cadeyrn Neville, 6. Lachlan McCaffrey, 7. Will Miller, 8. Pete Samu, 9. Joe Powell, 10. Bayley Kuenzle, 11. Tom Wright, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Solomone Kata, 14. Andy Muirhead, 15. Tom Banks. Replacements: 16. Folau Fainga'a, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Tom Ross, 19. Darcy Swain, 20. Rob Valetini, 21. Nic White, 22. Reesjan Pasitoa, 23. Len Ikitau.

Force squad: 1. Pek Cowan, 2. Andrew Ready, 3. Kieran Longbottom, 4. Jeremy Thrush, 5. Ollie Atkins, 6. Fergus Lee-Warner, 7. Kane Koteka, 8. Henry Stowers, 9. Ian Prior, 10. Jono Lance, 11. Brad Lacey, 12. Henry Taefu, 13. Kyle Godwin, 14. Marcel Brache, 15. Jack McGregor. Replacements: 16. Feleti Kaitu'u, 17. Chris Heiberg, 18. Tom Sheminant, 19. Tevin Ferris, 20. Brynard Stander, 21. Nick Frisby, 22. Richard Kahui, 23. Jake Strachan.