Reports this morning have revealed that former back-rower Jack Dempsey is set to be included in Scotland’s squad for the 2022 Autumn Nations Series.
Although the 28-year-old has 14 Australia caps, the most recent of them came on October 11 2019, meaning he has now served the three-year stand-down period stipulated in the new World Rugby regulations.
According to The Times, Gregor Townsend names his autumn squad on Wednesday, and it is widely expected that Dempsey, who qualifies to play for Scotland through his late maternal grandfather, will be part of it.
As of January 1, 2022, capped players are allowed to transfer allegiance as long as they have spent the previous three years out of the international game and have “a close and credible link via birthright” to the country to which they are switching.
During the summer, Dempsey revealed he has spoken to both Scottish and Australian representatives and spent time in the close season weighing up his future.
“I addressed the summer as a big thinking, brainstorming operation. I went back to my roots, my parents were over here, and I got to meet my extended family, the Scottish side,” said Dempsey, who joined Glasgow Warriors in the summer.
“But I was also keeping an eye on both camps. There was the Argentina series and then Australia have been playing recently.
“Both teams have been playing promising rugby but in terms of my own situation I have pretty much made my mind up and I’m probably going to make an announcement in the next three or four weeks.”
Scotland kick off their Autumn campaign with Australia before also facing Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina at Murrayfield.
Five England stars who could still swap nations before the 2023 World Cup
They could all swap nations ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
#1. Nathan Hughes (England to Fiji)
- Age: 31
- Position: Number 8
- Current number of caps: 20
- Last cap: March, 2019
- Did you know? His uncle, Asaeli Hughes, is a former dual international having represented Fiji in both basketball and 15s rugby
Hughes, who grew up in the sugar cane town of Lautoka on the west coast of the main Fijian island of Viti Levu, has. revealed that he has full support from the RFU to swap nations after moving to Japan.
