Nic White is set for the shortest Test retirement of all time after an injury to Wallabies teammate Jake Gordon.

Despite White, 35, announcing on Thursday that Saturday’s series finale against the British and Irish Lions would be his last Test for the Wallabies, The Roar can reveal that those plans could be on ice after Gordon tweaked his hamstring at training.

It’s understood Gordon, the Wallabies’ usual first-choice No.9 under Joe Schmidt, who was rotated out of the team for the dead rubber in Sydney to allow White to have a dream farewell Test, pinged his hamstring in the final few minutes of training on Thursday after finding space on the edge.

Schmidt was asked if Gordon was fit on Thursday at his team announcement, to which the Wallabies coach replied: “He trained today.”

But sources have told The Roar that Gordon is now due to miss the two Test tour to South Africa, which acts as the first leg of The Rugby Championship.

Brumbies halfback Ryan Lonergan, who joined the Wallabies in camp on Thursday afternoon, is expected to be called into the Wallabies squad.

Nic White’s retirement plans might have to be delayed after Jake Gordon tweaked his hamstring at Wallabies training on Thursday. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The injury is the latest setback for the Wallabies, who have been plagued by injuries at another major event.

Two years after soft tissue injuries at training to Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou at the World Cup, similar issues have once again cruelled the Wallabies’ chances for the once every 12 year series against the Lions.

Power forwards Rob Valetini, Skelton and Langi Gleeson all missed the first Test in Brisbane because of training hiccups, before making strong contributions in the second Test.

Now, Gordon, who had an injury-riddled Super Rugby campaign because of two separate leg injuries, is the latest to go down.

The 31-year-old had enjoyed one of his best performances in a gold jersey, scoring in Melbourne to help the Wallabies run out to a 23-5 first half lead. While the Lions pipped the Wallabies at the death, Gordon played 80 minutes and was amongst his side’s best.

But the NSW Waratahs captain’s latest injury blow will be a tough pill to swallow given he was earlier this week left out of the matchday squad. It was the second straight Test Schmidt had decided to play White in front of Gordon in Sydney, with the unusual selection occurring during for the opening Bledisloe Test last year.

White had earlier left the door slightly ajar for running out for the Wallabies beyond Saturday’s series finale.

Asked if he had one more big shift left in him, Gordon said: “Yeah, one or a few.”

He added: “I’ll hang on for the end of the year.”

Nic White’s Test career could go on beyond Sydney’s final Test between the Wallabies and Lions. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

After The Roar revealed on Wednesday that Gordon was set to retire and would wear the No.9 jersey for this weekend’s Test, the Wallabies had announced at midday on Thursday – two hours before the matchday 23 was confirmed – that White would don the jersey for the last time, but continue playing for the Western Force during September’s new Super Rugby AU competition.

 White said he felt like he was still playing well enough to keep playing, but indicated that his body was starting to feel the toll of more than a decade at the top.

“I feel like I played well against the Lions over at Optus there,” White told reporters on Thursday afternoon.

“I feel like I was playing good footy against Fiji at the end there. It was a tough game.

“I’ve been training well against the boys. Keeping the act sharp for the boys and I feel like I’ve got that competitor in me. But I feel like the end of this year is the right time [to retire].”

Nic White and Joe Schmidt ahead of the second Lions Test at the MCG on July 26, 2025 in Melbourne. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

White, who was contracted with the Force until the end of 2026, revealed that the decision to retire had become obvious over the previous fortnight following conversations with Schmidt and his Super Rugby coach Simon Cron.

“If the body could keep going, I would keep going,” he said. “But the body’s just given me a lot of signs that now’s the right time and I think it’s time I start listening.

“I’ve got three young boys at home. My wife’s been the absolute rock for a long time. Allowing me to do this job for, gee whiz, I don’t even know how long I’ve been doing it. It’s been a while. It’s time I put the family first.

“Like I said, it just feels right. It seemed like everything was pointing me in that direction. I was fighting it for a little while. But some honest conversations with myself and with Joe and with Cronno, and we came to a sensible decision.”

After Gordon’s injury, those retirement plans might have to be pushed back at least a month.