For Jack Dempsey, facing the All Blacks has always carried extra significance. Growing up in Australia, he was accustomed to seeing the Wallabies measured against their more celebrated neighbours.
Whatever Australia achieved, comparisons with New Zealand were never far away.
No fixture stirred Dempsey more than a meeting with the All Blacks. In that respect, he believes the rivalry mirrors the intensity Scotland players feel when they face England.
It may also explain why Dempsey has consistently produced some of his finest rugby against New Zealand.
He was outstanding for Scotland against the All Blacks at Murrayfield last year, helping Gregor Townsend’s side come within touching distance of a famous victory.
Scotland recovered from a 17-0 deficit to draw level at 17-17, but Damian McKenzie’s late try ultimately denied them a first win over New Zealand.
Jack Dempsey in action for Scotland against New Zealand in the Autumn Series of 2022
Dempsey faced New Zealand in 2017 while playing for Australia
As the Nations Championship resumes on Saturday, Dempsey has another opportunity to help Scotland secure their first-ever victory over the All Blacks—and his motivation remains undiminished.
Asked whether New Zealand brings out an added edge in his game, the Scotland back-rower replied: ‘Oh, for sure, yeah.
‘Sione [Tuipulotu, Scotland captain] comes to mind because of the conversations we’ve had over the years. We grew up as Australians, went through the Australian schoolboy and Under-20 systems, and I played for the Wallabies as well.
‘You’re constantly compared with New Zealand. When I look back at my career and pick my three best Test matches, I’d say two of them were probably against New Zealand—one for the Wallabies and one for Scotland.
‘That feeling is probably similar to what Scottish players experience when they face England. It’s essentially the same emotion.
‘You instinctively raise your level. Then, when you consider last year’s match, the atmosphere, and the history between Scotland and New Zealand, everyone knows about the (winless) streak. Scotland have also had so few opportunities against them, and now we have two in two years.
‘Hopefully that continues under the new Nations Championship and we get to play the All Blacks every year.’
Dempsey departed Glasgow Warriors at the end of last season to continue his career in Japan with Toshiba Brave Lupus.
A key part of Townsend’s back row in recent years, Dempsey will remain available for the rest of Scotland’s autumn campaign. However, his club commitments and the Japanese rugby calendar will prevent him from featuring in next year’s Six Nations. He is still determined to remain in contention for Scotland’s World Cup squad when the tournament takes place in Australia next year.
Dempsey will be 33 by then, making a World Cup in his birthplace a fitting full-circle moment.
Dempsey takes on the New Zealand defence at Murrayfield last year
Although he has no immediate plans to retire, Dempsey acknowledged that the tournament could represent a natural point at which to end his Scotland career.
‘Yes, it would be significant,’ he said when asked about the World Cup. ‘Looking at my career, I’ve already played at two World Cups—one for Scotland and one for Australia.
‘To play in a third, and potentially final, World Cup on Australian soil with this group would be a wonderful way to finish my international career.
‘But you have to earn your place every week. I’ve learned throughout my career that everything can disappear very quickly, whether through injury, selection or something else.
‘You can’t look too far ahead. That was part of the thinking behind moving to Japan as well. We’ll see what happens.
‘It’s difficult to put a definite word like “end” on it. But I’m fully aware of my age, the fact I’m no longer playing in Scotland and that I don’t have the security of the Glasgow players around me every week. The international windows, the different seasons and the timing of the Six Nations all play a part too.
‘I’m not sure, but if I were betting, I’d say I probably have fewer matches ahead of me than I’ve had in the past. Still, I’m the last person who will be ungrateful for everything I’ve been given, particularly by Scotland.
‘If I play against the All Blacks, it will be my 50th Test cap combined for Australia and Scotland. Normally, you would have a small ceremony and receive a gift. Because it isn’t 50 caps for one country, though, it becomes something shared by me and my family, which makes it quite unique and special.
‘Scotland, especially, has given me so much in the second half of my career. The important thing is to treat every cap—whether it’s against the All Blacks, at a World Cup or in any match before or after—as if it could be your last.’
Dempsey returned to Scotstoun last weekend as a supporter to watch Glasgow beat the Lions. He continues to follow most of the team’s matches on television and is embracing life in Japan as he adapts to a new culture and way of living.
Dempsey carries the ball for the Wallabies during their 2017 meeting with New Zealand
‘The club have been excellent with me,’ he added. ‘It’s been great to return this week.
‘We had a lengthy pre-season and played a match a couple of weeks ago, which was useful preparation before joining Scotland.
‘Life in Japan is certainly different. It reminds me a little of moving from Sydney to Glasgow for the first time. You feel as though you’ve landed on another planet and have to learn the game all over again.
‘The style is different too, probably closer to the Super Rugby I was used to. I’m still learning about the new players and how everything works. Coming back here is always enjoyable, though—it’s a welcoming environment and it’s great to see familiar faces.
‘My Japanese isn’t very good! It’s genuinely difficult because you think you’ve learned the greetings, then you have to adjust to the accent and the slang.
‘People use words that don’t appear in the books you’re studying. It has been challenging, but I’m enjoying it.’
