![Brumbies and Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White believes fans and players have a reason to be excited about the new season. Picture by Keegan Carroll Brumbies and Wallabies scrumhalf Nic White believes fans and players have a reason to be excited about the new season. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/a6ca8476-5eae-4962-9c60-32e3c8fcd30f.jpg/r0_544_5318_3546_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
If Eddie Jones is rugby's ultimate salesman, Nic White must be close to second best.
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Because when the ACT Brumbies scrumhalf starts talking about why this year feels different, you're inclined to believe him. It feels different to all the false dawns of the past.
A round one crowd for a Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Brumbies and NSW Waratahs could exceed 30,000 spectators for the first time in eight years, when for so long those figures have dipped below 10,000 in both Sydney and Canberra.
There's a World Cup on the horizon in France and any number of jerseys could be up for grabs.
Then of course there is Jones himself, the returning Wallabies mentor who is both the reason why rugby was dominating the news cycle during the Australian Open and why long-suffering fans are daring to dream of international glory.
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If that's not enough, listen to the 32-year-old scrumhalf who is about to play his 100th game for the Brumbies, joining an elite group of club legends - even if he did go the long route from Canberra to France to England and back to reach his century.
"Preseason is over, how good," White said with the grin of a kid on Christmas morning.
"There's a lot of anticipation around this year, obviously a huge year, World Cup year. There just seems to be a really good and big feel about this year and this opening round.
"It should be a cracker up there in Sydney, a good crowd. The buzz at the end of preseason for everyone is usually pretty good, but this year it just seems a little bit more special.
"I think because of the year it is, 2023, with Eddie coming in, a clean slate, it just seems there's a little bit of uncertainty around which Aussie side is going to do well. It's all there to grab and we've been building nicely, so looking forward to it.
![Jake Gordon and Nic White will compete for a Wallabies jersey as the latter prepares to play his 100th game since graduating to the Brumbies ranks via the John I Dent Cup. Picture by Keegan Carroll Jake Gordon and Nic White will compete for a Wallabies jersey as the latter prepares to play his 100th game since graduating to the Brumbies ranks via the John I Dent Cup. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/9b27853d-8819-4cde-9731-61409ddea9bc.jpg/r0_260_4682_2903_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It's a big round one game in terms of Super Rugby. It's also a big game because it's a big year this year and Wallabies jerseys are up for grabs.
"There's been a bit of media buzz around rugby and it's a huge year, 2023. The years that are coming with the Lions and then a home World Cup, it seems to be growing. For us, we've been out and really connecting [with the community].
"That can all be spoilt pretty quickly on Friday night if we don't turn up and do a job. Now it's time for us to put on a show."
Which brings them to the Waratahs.
There is a renewed optimism about the fortunes of NSW under Darren Coleman, while the Brumbies begin Stephen Larkham's second era in charge confident they can still be Australia's top team.
![Nic White has come a long way since his days playing for Queanbeyan in the John I Dent Cup. Picture by Melissa Adams Nic White has come a long way since his days playing for Queanbeyan in the John I Dent Cup. Picture by Melissa Adams](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/d76e9c2e-f62f-468e-b879-52ea8d10547a.jpg/r0_165_3912_2364_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
White reckons "there's no better thinker in terms of attacking rugby in the world than Steve", who was an assistant coach during White's debut in 2011, was head coach for his 50th cap, and now his 100th too.
Friday marks Super Rugby's return to the Sydney Football Stadium. The Waratahs got a little taste of the Moore Park venue when they camped on the ground last week - but the Brumbies are desperate to ruin the real homecoming.
"I spoke to Hoops [Michael Hooper], he wasn't too happy about having to come in from Manly, missing a nice night's sleep at home on his lovely Koala mattress," White grinned.
"I'm sure that's a really good bit of team-building for them. DC, he's good at that stuff. They've been building really well. It's going to be one of the tougher places for teams to go this year, and we're looking forward to ripping the band-aid off and getting into it.
"It seems to be tracking really well for a big crowd, and rugby has just got this good buzz about it at the moment. Where better to go than up to a place we have a bit of a rivalry with. It's a homecoming for them and a good challenge for us."
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