Nic White takes a moment to ponder how long he has between grand final celebrations and Wallabies duties.
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"Gee whiz, I'll make every minute count between now and then. I don't think this jersey is coming off until 10.59am when I get on that bus on Monday," the ACT Brumbies scrumhalf joked.
Super Rugby success - albeit in an abridged Australian competition - has been a long time coming for White, the 30-year-old scrumhalf who found his way back to Canberra earlier than planned after returning from the United Kingdom.
He was there in 2013 when the Brumbies went to close to breaking the drought. Now he has played a key role in doing it seven years later after at times wondering if he would ever get another shot.
"That one will hurt for a long time, but I won't think about that one as much anymore, the monkey is off the back," White said.
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"I don't know if it makes up for it, but this is pretty cool. I've lost my fair share, so I know how hard it is to get to one and to win one.
"A lot of hard work has gone into this for the whole group, and it's pretty special to win a final, but to win a final at home is incredible. We've waited 16 years to get back here and to win one.
"It's pretty special to come back, isn't it? I left school to come down here, spent seven years down there and thought that was all over for me.
"I'm still pinching myself that I'm back in Australia and back at the Brums, to get a home final and win it, it's pretty special to me and my family, as it is to a lot of guys.
"It's unreal, honestly. I had to go halfway around the world to come back and win one, what a journey. It's been an incredible journey, far out, this is what it's about."
Yet the journey for this Brumbies group seems to be just beginning. Granted, next year's hunt for back to back titles will take place without the likes of Tevita Kuridrani or Joe Powell.
But the bulk of the squad is locked in for at least the 2021 season as the club looks to establish a reign of dominance on the domestic scene - and perhaps across the Tasman should plans for crossover matches come to fruition.
"That's the feeling in there, this is just the beginning," White said. "We'll come back in, and hopefully if we put our heads down and bums up, this could be something special for the next little while."
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
