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Sean White has announced his retirement from rugby at the age of 28. The popular Canadian from Victoria, BC, steps away after winning international recognition in both the 7 and 15-a-side versions of the game. After leading Canada’s u19 side in 2007 he partnered Nathan Hirayama in the 2008 IRB Junior World Championships, with both graduating immediately to senior honors.
White made his test debut against Japan in November 2009, winning his first start a week later in Tokyo. He would go on to win 27 caps, starting 14, and traveled to the 2011 World Cup with his last test appearance coming against Romania in November 2014. He lost his spot in the squad to newcomer Gordon McRorie ahead of the 2015 World Cup but remained an integral part of the national 7s side throughout the 2015-16 season.
Primarily a scrumhalf, White had the ability to cover multiple positions, often appearing at fullback for both club and province. Indeed his versatility and fierce loyalty to James Bay may have come with a cost, with his attributes seen as ideal for a bench role and his competition for the Canadian no9 shirt almost invariably coming from specialists in the position.
His is perhaps most notable for his contributions in the shortened game, where his attacking flair saw him score 29 tries on the HSBC Sevens Series and create many more. Shane Thompson selected White for the Wellington 7s in February 2009 and he would spend seven years with the team, appearing in 32 tournaments during that time. Among the many highlights would certainly be two gold medals at the 2011 and 2015 Pan-Am Games, and a trip to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
