RESTLESS NATIVE
Aussie cap Dempsey mulls over switch to Scotland team
FROM the moment the fixtures were announced for the Autumn Test Series later this year, Jack Dempsey knew he was going to have a decision on his hands.
For the Glasgow Warriors back-rower, Scotland’s clash with Australia at Murrayfield on October 29 stood out like a sore thumb.
Dempsey grew up in Australia and made a good career for himself in his homeland, prior to making the move to Scotstoun last summer.
He has won 14 caps for the Wallabies, the last of which came in the World Cup back at the end of 2019.
But he hasn’t featured thus far under Dave Rennie, the former Glasgow Warriors boss, and the fact he now plays overseas doesn’t help his case for a recall.
Australian selection policy dictates that only three overseas players can be selected per squad, so long as they meet a certain criteria.
They need to have won either 30 caps or completed a minimum of five years’ service to Australian Rugby.
Dempsey would meet the latter of those two, but the fact he has yet to feature since Rennie took charge in 2020 would suggest he has perhaps fallen off the radar.
As of January 1, 2022, World Rugby changed the eligibility laws so that capped players can transfer allegiance to a new country, so long as they have completed a three-year international stand-down period and have ‘a close and credible link via birthright’ to the country they are switching to.
This effectively means that the player, a parent or a grandparent must have been born in the nation they are seeking to represent.
All of which opens up a door for him to play for Scotland. The changes mean that Dempsey will actually qualify for the Scots immediately before the autumn.
His dad is Australian and his Mum is Scottish. He admits it’s a possibility he could make the switch, but joked that it might create a family conundrum.
‘I’ve got my parents coming over for the Edinburgh game in two weeks,’ said the 28-year-old. ‘I haven’t seen them for a while, so I’ll catch up with them.
‘My mum is the one who’s on the Scottish side, so I’ll pick her brain about a few different things and what she’s thinking — because I know my dad doesn’t want me to play for Scotland!
‘I’m pretty focused on the Warriors at the moment. I’m going to have a deep think.
‘Is the door open (for Scotland)? Well, yeah, it’s not closed. But if the door is closed, I’m always going to sneak through the window, I’m just one of those guys.’
Dempsey has been a revelation for Glasgow this season, swiftly earning cult-hero status among supporters as a combative, try-scoring back-rower at No 8.
His form would immediately propel him into contention for Gregor Townsend’s side, should he decide to make the switch.
Pushed on whether he had already held talks with Townsend, Dempsey was keeping his cards fairly close to his chest.
‘Maybe I have or maybe I haven’t,’ he said. ‘I don’t know. I can’t really talk about it.
‘No, I’ve got no light for you. A few of the lads have been into me, trying to get some insight into what I am thinking.
‘When they (Australia) came here for the Autumn Tests last year, I went to the game and watched it live — sitting in the crowd having a few pints of Guinness.
‘That was the first game I’d been at Murrayfield when I wasn’t part of the squad.
‘So, if I’m not playing, it will be good because I can go there and have a few more beers in the stand and watch the game.
‘And if I am playing on either team... I don’t know, it will be good either way.
‘I’m not thinking about it too much. I just think it is a good thing to see those two teams play the game here.
‘But I’ve pretty much had the same mindset since the laws were changed back in December or January or whenever it was.
‘I’m just focusing on the Warriors at the moment and obviously the date for me to officially change isn’t until later this year, so I’ll address that when the time comes.
‘There’s no point thinking about it too much now, especially when we’ve got such big games coming up — that’s all I want to do.’
Dempsey will be part of the Warriors squad for tomorrow night’s Challenge Cup quarterfinal against Lyon in France.
Their record away from home has been largely underwhelming this season, something which they must change as they reach the business end of the season.
On the back of tomorrow’s game, the Warriors then travel to face Edinburgh in their final match in the United Rugby Championship.
They will then face an away quarter-final in the URC play-offs, travelling to either Ireland or South Africa.
‘Everyone has been talking about how we have been disappointing away from home, and that’s the biggest take-out for us from this block that we are just coming out of,’ said Dempsey.
‘But it’s exciting. We’ve had a disappointing two weeks, but we’re able to come back to a different competition and have a mental refresh. It’s knock-out rugby now.’