Former Wallabies backrower Jack Dempsey named in Scotland squad

Dempsey played the last of his 14 Wallabies Tests against Georgia in the pool stages of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

With the Waratahs struggling in 2020-21, Dempsey was unwanted by new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie and signed with the Glasgow Warriors in August last year.

Under new World Rugby eligibility rules, Dempsey is able to play for Scotland because he has spent three years out of international rugby, and has a “credible link via birthright” courtesy of his Scottish grandfather, Andrew.

The 28-year-old was on the selection radar for most of the Warriors’ season, but switching allegiances wasn’t a decision he made lightly.

“Growing up as a kid all I wanted to do was play for Australia and I was lucky enough to fulfil that dream,” Dempsey told CODE Sports in February. 

“So if you’re going to then commit to a whole different country you’ve got to make sure it’s for the right reasons. Not for money, fame or for anything other than a reason that matches your principles as a person.

“And that’s something that’s important to me.”

Dempsey made his Test debut in June 2017, but his time in the gold jersey was limited due to a series of ill-timed injuries and bad luck.

He counts representing Australia at the 2019 World Cup and claiming a win the first time he played the All Blacks among his career highlights but, as the Waratahs endured two of their bleakest seasons on record, Dempsey fell out of favour.

“It was just a tough couple of years for the Waratahs and it had an impact on getting picked for the national team,” he said.

“We weren’t playing well enough as a team to justify selection. You look inside during tough times like that and the personal growth just wasn’t there which was a large part of the reason for me deciding to move to Scotland, even if it meant I would take myself out of the picture for the Wallabies.

“I just needed a fresh start.”

It might have been a fresh start, but it wasn’t completely foreign, with Glasgow playing a style of rugby Dempsey says is very similar to the Waratahs.

“That’s made it an easier transition for me than going to, say, Munster or Ulster,” he said.

“At Warriors we play on a fast deck with the 4G (Glasgow’s synthetic pitch designed to counter conditions during Scottish winters) and have players comfortable in that style. The way Nigel Carolan, our attack coach, approaches the game is essentially what I was brought up on. The tactics and language he uses are very similar.”

The Sydney-born Dempsey played a total of 22 games for Glasgow in the United Rugby Championship, Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, scoring five tries, and will likely be in line for a spot in Scotland’s side to play next year’s World Cup in France.

He could get his first taste of action in Gregor Townsend’s Scotland side next weekend against Australia at Murrayfield. Scotland then play Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina over the following three weeks.

Meanwhile, Rennie’s Wallabies outfit will take on France, Italy, Ireland and Wales.