It has been 12 long years in the making, and Nic White has said it will be a dream come true when he gets his chance to play against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday night. Earlier this year, White opened up on the heartbreaking shoulder injury that robbed him of the chance to face the Lions in 2013, saying it felt like his world ended. Now 35 years of age and still in the Wallabies squad, White will captain the Western Force against the Lions in the tour opener in front of more than 40,000 fans at Perth Stadium. In the lead-up to the match, there's been a common theme running through his mind. "Don't get injured," White said with a laugh. "Twelve years ago I got injured and missed that opportunity, and it's been in the back of my mind for a long time now, a bit over a decade. "To get the opportunity to play against the Lions is unreal. It's a real dream come true, words don't really do it justice." Having missed out on the chance to face the Lions as a 23-year-old, White said he appreciates how special the once-in-a-12-year opportunity is. "Once I missed that series, young and naive, I was like, 'I'm going to play in Australia and for the Wallabies for the next 10 years,'" he said. "That's just not a reality, is it? "I went overseas early, and that was always in the back of my mind that if I had an opportunity to come back to Australia around that time, I'd love to give it another nudge. "Just playing the Lions as part of a Super Rugby side is a huge deal. "It really is a pinch-me moment. A lot of people have these dreams, but for the dream to come true, it's pretty rare and pretty special."