Ben White is looking forward to experiencing the intensity of Premiership rugby with his new club Exeter.
Ex Blues flanker looking forward to Premiership challenge
Ben White is looking forward to experiencing the intensity of Aviva Premiership rugby with his new club Exeter next season.
The Australian former Cardiff Blues flanker is one of nine new signings made by Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter.
And the 27-year-old, who plied his trade with Australian Super Rugby franchise the Brumbies prior to his move to the UK in 2006, can't wait for his first taste of English rugby.
"I'm really looking forward to it," he said White "I've settled in well and the area is really nice. I came down a few months ago and had a look around, but it's all better than I thought."
The Chiefs finished eighth in their first Premiership season last time and White knows that their pre-season preparations will be vital to consolidating that position in the next campaign.
"A lot of the boys have been in the gym already and got pretty stuck in," he said. "So I've just jumped on the bandwagon and got on with some early work.
Tough
"Pre-season is when you get a lot of the hard work done, so you just have to get on with it.
"Yeah it can be torture at times, but in the long run it will definitely help you and as a player you want to be in the best shape you can be, come the start of the season."
Exeter will find out their fixture list for the 2011/12 Premiership campaign on Wednesday lunchtime.
And White remains well aware that, with the quality of teams in the top flight, next season will be an entirely different challenge to the Magners League.
"It seems every game is a huge game and pretty full on," added the back-rower, who has only tackled English sides in Cup competition with the Blues
"For sure it will be different to the old Magners League because some weeks that would be really tough and then another week it wasn't always that way.
"The Premiership you can see is tough every week, it's more physical and it looks fast as well."
