Nathan White (rugby union)

Nathan White is a retired rugby union player from New Zealand, who played internationally for Ireland. He played as a prop, primarily at tighthead. White last played for Irish provincial side Connacht in the Pro12, and had previously played for Leinster, another province. Before moving to Ireland, he played Super Rugby for the Chiefs and provincial rugby for Waikato.

For other people named Nathan White, see Nathan White (disambiguation).

Nathan White
Birth nameNathan White
Date of birth (1981-09-04) 4 September 1981
Place of birthHāwera, New Zealand
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight122 kg (19 st 3 lb)
SchoolTe Awamutu College
Occupation(s)Rugby union player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Prop
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Te Awamutu ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2002–2011
2011–2012
2012–2016		 Waikato
Leinster
Connacht		 73
24
58		 (5)
(5)
(15)
Correct as of 23 July 2016
Super Rugby
Years Team Apps (Points)
2006–2011 Chiefs 41 (20)
Correct as of 1 June 2014
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2015
2015–2016		 Wolfhounds
Ireland		 1
13		 (0)
(0)
Correct as of 19 March 2016

Club career

In New Zealand

White first played rugby for the Te Awamutu Sports Club. In 2002, he joined the National Provincial Championship side, Waikato. White was brought in to play for Super 14 side the Chiefs in 2006. The 2006 Super 14 season saw the Chiefs finish in seventh overall and third from the New Zealand teams. Later that year, White won the 2006 Air New Zealand Cup with Waikato. The Air New Zealand Cup had replaced the National Provincial Championship that season. White started at tighthead prop in the final of the Cup, as Waikato beat Wellington 37–31.[1] White served as the captain of Waikato for two years before leaving both Waikato and the Chiefs to move abroad.[2]

Leinster

White moved to Irish provincial side Leinster in 2011 on a one-year contract, joining ahead of the 2011–12 season.[2] He played 17 times in the Pro12 that season, nine of these appearances coming from the bench. He scored one try in the competition, this coming against the Cardiff Blues on 2 December 2011.[3] In the 2011–12 Heineken Cup, White made seven appearances, all coming from the bench, as Leinster won the competition.[4]

Connacht

After his year with Leinster was finished, White joined another Irish province, this time Connacht Rugby. He signed with the team on a three-year contract in February 2012 and joined them ahead of the 2012–13 season.[5] In his first season with the club, White played 16 games in the 2012–13 Pro12, starting 14 of them and scoring one try.[6] He also played five games in that season's Heineken Cup for the province.[4]

In January 2015, Connacht and the IRFU announced that White had signed a two-year contract extension, which would see him play at the Sportsground until at least the summer of 2017.[7] In September 2016, it was announced that White was retiring from rugby with immediate effect, due to ongoing issues from a concussion he sustained in a game against Leinster in March of that year. He had made 58 appearances for Connacht in his four seasons with the side.[8]

International career

In October 2014, White became qualified to play for Ireland through the three-year residency rule. White was named in the Irish squad for the end of year tests, but a bicep injury ruled him out until January. White was one of only two uncapped players included in Ireland's extended squad for the Six Nations. On 30 January 2015, at the age of 33, White made his first appearance for an Irish national team, featuring as a replacement for the Ireland Wolfhounds.

On 15 August 2015 White made his debut off the bench for Ireland in a 28–22 win over Scotland in the second of their 2015 Rugby World Cup warm up matches.[9] A late arrival to international Rugby, in the space of seven months White accumulated 13 Irish caps with four starts, before he was forced to retire in September 2016.[8]

References
  1. "Waikato's defence claims the prize". ITM Cup. 21 October 2006. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  2. Evan Pegden (5 September 2011). "Waikato captain Nathan White off to Leinster". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  3. "Leinster Squad Index: Nathan White". RaboDirectPRO12. Archived from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  4. "Player Archive: Nathan White". ERC Rugby. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  5. "White signs up to join Connacht". RTĖ Sport. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  6. "Connacht Squad Index: Nathan White". RaboDirectPRO12. Archived from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  7. "Connacht Props Pen New Two-Year Deals". IrishRugby.ie. Irish Rugby Football Union. 20 January 2015. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  8. Fintan O'Toole (28 September 2016). "Ireland international White forced to retire from rugby after concussion injury". The42.ie. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  9. "A veteran bolter, farewells and missed tackle woes - 5 things we learned from Irish victory". Independent. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
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