“I performed 4 Assessments in autumn, and made my debut towards Australia. When the staff obtained named this week, and I used to be fortunate sufficient to be in it, you simply pinch your self, pondering ‘how is that this Sydney boy, who was fortunate sufficient to stay his dream of enjoying for his state and the Wallabies, then a number of years later get to play within the bloody Six Nations’.”
After an Australian profession that noticed him play for the Waratahs between 2015 and 2021, and 14 Assessments for the Wallabies — together with on the 2019 Rugby World Cup — Dempsey moved to Glasgow in 2021 for a change.
Jack Dempsey enjoying for the Wallabies on the 2019 Rugby World Cup.Credit score:Getty
He had no plans to play for Scotland, and in any case World Rugby legal guidelines didn’t enable it on the time. It was solely after he had been there a number of months that World Rugby modified their eligibility legal guidelines to permit gamers to change allegiances, offering they’d the required heritage and had served a three-year Check stand-down.
Dempsey may now qualify to play for Scotland by way of his maternal grandfather. When he was weighing up whether or not to return residence for a shot on the 2023 Rugby World Cup, he spoke with each Dave Rennie and Scotland rugby officers.
“I went with my intestine and determined to remain and have a crack with Scotland,” he mentioned.
After his three-year exile expired final yr, the celebrities aligned as a rib harm stored him out till Australia have been on the town.
Dempsey switched to Scotland by way of new World Rugby legal guidelines.Credit score:Getty
“It was very blended feelings,” Dempsey mentioned.
“Unexpectedly that (first) sport just isn’t solely towards the gold jersey, the jersey I’d worn proudly at a schoolboy, 20s and senior stage with the Wallabies.
“But in addition the fellows who have been sporting it, mates like Jakey Gordon, Ned Hanigan, Jed Holloway, Andrew Kellaway … guys I had performed my complete profession with, and at the same time as youngsters. There was a lot happening.”
In a right away take a look at of Dempsey’s interior allegiance, Australia received a nail-biter after Scotland missed a last-minute penalty. He discovered himself gutted by the “bitter” feeling.
Dempsey mentioned the England-Scotland rivalry “brings backs vibes of the Bledisloe Cup and people type of issues” however even Aussies and Kiwis will acknowledge the roots of a trans-Tasman rivalry aren’t in the identical ballpark.
However whereas the Scottish camp don’t do hearth and brimstone, Dempsey mentioned he had spoken with different gamers and soaked up what it means to beat England.
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Elsewhere within the Six Nations, Canberra-raised Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham will each begin for Eire of their conflict with Wales in Cardiff on Sunday morning (AEDT).
Eire are favourites to win the match forward of France, who play Italy on Monday morning.
Watch all of the motion from the Six Nations on Stan Sport. Spherical 1 kicks off Sunday with Wales v Eire (1.05am AEDT), England v Scotland (3.35am AEDT) and Italy v France (1.50am AEDT).
