Jack Dempsey open to playing for Scotland as Glasgow Warriors speaks on idea of switch, Australia and timescales

Glasgow Warriors forward Jack Dempsey has revealed he is open to the idea of becoming a Scotland international from the autumn.

The Sydney native made 14 appearances for the Wallabies from 2017 to 2019 but has not featured in an Australia squad since Dave Rennie became head coach after the last World Cup.

The 27-year-old said there had been “zero comms” from Rennie, the former Warriors head coach, about the prospect of a return to the Australian set-up, especially with him now playing his club rugby overseas.

That could open the door to a switch to Scotland under changes to the eligibility rules introduced by World Rugby from the start of the year that permit any player who hasn’t played international rugby for three years – and who has a credible link to the country they wish to represent – to make a one-time switch.

Dempsey’s grandfather, Andrew Prentice, was Scottish and the former Waratahs forward still has a number of relatives living in the Glasgow area and in Ayrshire. His half-Scottish mum, Rose, is especially enthusiastic about the notion of her son pulling on a dark blue shirt.

Dempsey was coy on whether he and head coach Gregor Townsend had spoken directly about him opting for Scotland from October but did reveal there had been talks “behind the scenes” about the idea, including with Australian-born Warriors team-mate Sione Tuipolutu, who also became part of the Scotland set via a grandparent.

The No 8 – who has made a hugely positive early impression at Glasgow in his first season – intends on mulling the matter over in the summer but did admit he would be tempted, especially with the next World Cup in France just 18 months away.

He said: “I can’t really comment on [whether he’s spoken to Townsend] but there