White is expected to link with former Brumbies coach Jake White and captain Ben Mowen at Montpellier after being offered a multi-year deal to move his career abroad.

French rugby has been targetting Wallabies players with rich contracts in an attempt to lure them away from Australia after the World Cup.

White was contracted with the Brumbies and the ARU until the end of 2016.

But the offer to move overseas was too good to refuse as White weighs up his future in the Wallabies set-up.

It's understood White will be released from the final year of his Brumbies contract and will move to France at the end of this year.

New Brumbies chief executive Michael Jones admitted to being shocked by the news, but was adamant it would drive White to finish with a Super Rugby title and that it would not lead to more players following him to France.

The Brumbies boast more than a dozen Wallabies in their squad who will attract interest from overseas clubs, including David Pocock and Scott Fardy.

"We're disappinted because Nic is a critical member of the squad, but the good thing is that he's such a tenacious competitive bastard that it won't affect his season and he'll want to go out in style," Jones said.

"He will still want to be a big part of the Wallabies in a World Cup year as well ... he's proud and that won't change.

"We're not expecting a massive exodus. Nic was just one with timing ... I don't think we could match what he was offered."

The Brumbies have already started searching for a replacement despite only being told of White's impending move on Tuesday afternoon.

The fiery No. 9 was promoted to the vice-captain role last week and has established himself as one of the most influential players at the club.

However, after being in contact with French clubs in recent seasons, Montpellier swooped to poach the 24-year-old.

White signed a new deal with the Brumbies and the ARU last year to keep him in Australian rugby until the end of 2016.

But with Michael Cheika moving into the Wallabies coaching job and rival Nick Phipps recently signing a three-year deal, White's position in the Test pecking order became unclear.

World Cup-winning coach Jake White led a Brumbies revival in 2012-2013 before quitting halfway through his four-year contract in Canberra.

He has been drafted in to take the reins of Montpellier on a six-month contract and he's expected to sign a two-year deal in the coming weeks.

Mowen left Australian rugby last year, despite being the incumbent Wallabies captain.

Australian players are attractive to French clubs because when they leave Super Rugby they become ineligible to play for the Wallabies.

Adam Ashley-Cooper and James Horwill have already signed deals to move overseas after the World Cup campaign.

Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Peter Kimlin, Berrick Barnes, Kane Douglas and Digby Ioane are already playing abroad.

Nic White played just one Test on the Wallabies' spring tour of Europe and he is trying to force his way back into the regular rotation to win a World Cup berth.

Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham is locked in negotations with several players who are off contract at the end of the season and is hopeful of retaining the bulk of the squad.

"It's criticial to our future that we have a clear strategy of building the team," Jones said.

"The Brumbies have always prided themselves on being the Wallabies factory and we need to live up to that by being innovative and looking at guys.

"We're already getting a plan together for next year for who we need to target to plug the gap and look at it as an opportunity."

Meanwhile, the Brumbies play their first pre-season trial match in Perth on Friday night, with Pocock to make his comeback from a knee reconstruction as part of a strong squad.

BRUMBIES PRE-SEASON TRIALS

Friday: Western Force v ACT Brumbies at McGillivray Oval, Perth, 8pm.

January 31: Brumbies v Otago Highlanders in Wagga, 7pm.

* The Brumbies will take a supporters' bus to the trial match in Wagga, which will leave Canberra at 3pm and return at midnight. Seats on the bus start from $40. For more information email J.Saunders@brumbies.com.au or call 6283 8516.