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HUNGRY new halfback Nic White will win another Test start ahead of Will Genia as the Wallabies keep remaking Quade Cooper as a better five-eghth by dividing up his decision-making load.
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White's excellent first mission as a starting half has earned him a crack against South Africa in Cape Town on September 28 when the Wallabies open a stretch of eight Tests abroad which is the most daunting in their 114-year history.
His value went beyond the composed kicking and direction of play to subdue the dangerous Argentinians 14-13 in the miserable squalls and wind that lashed Perth's Patersons Stadium last Saturday night.
Giving White and centre Christian Lealiifano more prominent decision-making roles shrewdly reduced the boom-or-bust outcome that can dog Cooper when he is solely in control of playmaking.
White may be the smallest Wallaby at 82kg but he has big hopes. His even bigger kicking game thankfully filled a void in recent Australian teams because the gutsy grind would not have been won without his pressure-relieving thumps.
Instead of a botched kick-off reception to gift the third Test to the British and Irish Lions in the first minute, White hoofed the ball for a 60m ground gain. What a difference.
Nic White clears the ball. His kicking game provided a boost for the Wallabies against Argentina. Source: Getty Images
Coach Ewen McKenzie's DNA is clear when he takes a punt as he did on White ahead of 47-Test gem Genia. Reward the faith and you keep the spot.
"I'm very keen to. This Test was a big opportunity not just to see I'm capable of playing Test rugby but keeping the No.9 jersey," White said after being named players' player of the Test.
"There were not doubts about belonging but I guess I saw it was going to be tough to get the No.9 off Will because he's had his hands on it a long time. I knew if a chance did come it wouldn't be very often."
Remarkably, the emergence of the kid who once ran with the Maitland Blacks reinforces the Hunter Valley as a golden vein when mining for Wallaby halfbacks.
John Hipwell, Cyril Burke, Luke Burgess, Steve Merrick and Josh Valentine all came from the region.
Cooper took on his revised role. He drastically reduced his errors and was the smart hands in the second wave attack for the Israel Folau try after Lealiifano had acted as first receiver to set a platform with a direct little run.
More than that, a more physical Cooper hit seven rucks which is unheard of for him. He also defended in the frontline again.
That McKenzie subbed him out to play Matt Toomua for the final, vice-tightening 15 minutes also hit instant paydirt.
His scudding 30m touchfinder to pin the Pumas in their quarter was "that big moment when I saw the Argentinian heads drop" said delighted first-time skipper Ben Mowen.
"Quade managed the game quite well with Nick. Playing Quade or Christian at first receiver allowed us to do things differently and make it harder for the opposition defence," McKenzie said.
"We all know they (defenders) love to stand in front of Quade so if he's somewhere else it creates a lot more space."
McKenzie would not be pinned down on the White-Genia selection for Cape Town. Genia played not a minute in Perth such was White's value but the change-up might be 20-to-30 minutes off the bench on a dry, fast day at Newlands.
"We knew Nic could play. The big stage didn't slow him or force him into his shell and he showed he has one of the strongest kicking games in the country for any position," McKenzie said.
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