Jake Gordon ‘excited’ to make Wallabies return but full of praise for ‘incredible’ Nic White

Returning Wallabies scrum-half Jake Gordon has paid tribute to recently retired counterpart Nic White after he filled in for him at Test level over the past six weeks.

Gordon was Australia’s first choice number nine during their recent series against the British & Irish Lions and started the first two Tests against the famous touring team in Brisbane and Melbourne.

However, a hamstring injury ruled him out of the third Lions Test in Sydney with White replacing him as the Wallabies’ first choice scrum-half for that encounter.

White initially retired from Test rugby after that series but recanted that decision as he agreed to be part of the Wallabies’ Rugby Championship campaign due to Gordon‘s injury.

With Gordon on the sidelines, the 35-year-old veteran extended his international career and started all four of Australia’s recent Rugby Championship Tests against South Africa and Argentina.

And with Gordon now fully recovered, White has called time on his career again but the former said he was delighted with how his former rival performed during his absence.

“Nic had told the team that it was going to be his last game and then he told me [his wife] Mel wasn’t too happy with me originally after because he was going to be spending a little bit of time at home with the kids,” said Gordon jokingly.

‘He’s played incredible’

“I thought the way Nic played, he’s played incredible. I actually thought he was going to play for a little bit longer, I wasn’t too sure. He played really well, and Tate [McDermott] has been playing great off the bench.

“To have the ability to have [Ryan] Lonergan there as well, who has been playing well for a really long time. Like I said, it was great to watch.

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“I’ve watched these last few games and been super impressed by the way not just the halfbacks have been playing but the whole squad.”

Gordon had to kick his heels on the sidelines while the Wallabies registered special victories over the Springboks and Los Pumas in Johannesburg and Townsville respectively and he has now revealed he is keen to return to action again.

“I’m obviously excited. The hamstring took, I wouldn’t say longer than expected, but it was obviously a little bit of a niggle coming back from it,” he said.

“I’ve been training out of RA [Rugby Australia] with a few guys in and out and to see some of the performances the team has put together has been pleasing. It’s bittersweet. You would love to be a part of it but it has been great to watch them build and play some really good performances.

‘I feel like I’m now in a pretty good shape’

“The rehab team at Rugby Australia has been great with me and is making sure I hit all my markers and my strength work is ready to go. We haven’t rushed back, and I feel like I’m now in a pretty good shape to firstly be able to train and hopefully compete.”

The Wallabies are set to face the All Blacks at Eden Park in an eagerly anticipated Bledisloe Cup Test next weekend and Gordon could line up with James O’Connor as the starting half-backs after the latter came back to Australia shortly after joining his new club Leicester Tigers ahead of the start of the new Premiership season.

“James has played rugby for a long time and I don’t think it’s his first time doing decent travel into a big game,” added the 32-year-old.

“Guys have to go over and play big games all the time after travel. I don’t know exactly when James will be touching down or any of the stuff like that, but he is a seasoned professional.

“I know he will do everything in his control to get his body right so he will perform if he is chosen that first game.”

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