Ben White credits Toulon for Scotland form

Ben White says his time playing in France has strengthened his readiness for international rugby as Scotland prepare for their Six Nations opener against Italy.

White, 27, joined RC Toulon after leaving London Irish following the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He believes competing in the Top 14 has improved his ability to handle pressure and match intensity.

The scrum-half said the French league provides a demanding environment, with large crowds and strong expectations on home teams.

He noted the weekly pressure often feels similar to Test rugby and helped him adapt mentally and physically to international competition.

“It’s been great for me,” he told reporters.

“It’s been an amazing experience. I love playing out in France.

“The Top 14 is a tough league, and it has different challenges to playing in other leagues. One of the biggest things that I’ve found playing in the Top 14 is that every game is a massive occasion.

“You’re playing in front of sell-out crowds every week. There’s so much pressure on the home team to win.

“You have that level of pressure that almost feels the same as a Test match, which is something that took me a bit of time to get used to.”

White added that having more Scotland players competing across top European leagues strengthens the national squad. Centre Huw Jones is expected to join him at Toulon next season, which he believes will further benefit the team’s cohesion and experience at elite level.

“One of the beauties of the Top 14 is that there are so many good players, and it is a great competition.

"In my opinion, the more players we have from Scotland playing in the league and playing at the highest level across Europe, it’s fantastic for us, and it drives the quality of the squad.”