Jack Dempsey: I’m grateful to Toshiba for allowing Scotland return
New Toshiba Brave Lupus signing Jack Dempsey has confirmed his availability for Scotland for next season during his unveiling at the club’s base in Fuchu today.
Sydney-born Dempsey, 32, has joined the two-time League One winners on a four-year deal as a replacement for All Black Shannon Frizell who has returned to New Zealand after three years in Japan.
The ex-Wallabies international completed a three-year stand down period in 2022 and has since won 35 caps for Gregor Townsend’s Scotland.
Dempsey will not have to wait long to earn his next cap after revealing that his new club is on board with him featuring for his country in the Nations Championship’s Northern Hemisphere stage in November.
The bruising number eight, who qualifies for Scotland through his Glasgow-born grandfather, has handed Townsend a major boost as they prepare to host New Zealand, Australia and Japan.
While the games fall in World Rugby’s Test match window, and clubs are required to release players for international duty, there has been occasions where Japanese sides have put new foreign signings under pressure to complete a full pre-season in Japan.
Dempsey will also be available for Scotland’s fourth autumn game during the inaugural tournament’s Finals weekend at the end of November at London’s Allianz Twickenham Stadium.
The former Waratahs loose forward told RugbyJP.com: “I think first and foremost it’s about having priories and my number one priority is to Toshiba.
“I’m grateful and blessed that they've allowed me to go back in November to play.”
As expected, Dempsey confirmed that he will miss the Six Nations next year to prioritise his League One duties for Toshiba who replaced former head coach Todd Blackadder with forwards coach Joshua Syms in the off-season.
“With the Six Nations being in the season my priority will be in the Top League. It’s very clear for me and Scotland understands my position.
“The Rugby World Cup is the goal for every player in the world and I’m the same. For me, at my age, I’ll be 33 next year, it could be my third World Cup and it’s in my home nation (Australia).
“I've played one for Australia and one for Scotland, to play one in my home country would be a massive bucket list opportunity.”
Dempsey appreciates that he has complicated his route to a possible third World Cup by moving to Japan and admitted that he’s unsure how things will work out beyond the Nations Championship.
“I can’t control what happens after this autumn,” he said.
“We've had lengthy talks all the time with the goal of a World Cup potentially, if it all works out.”
Toshiba, who also announced new signings Atu Moli – a former All Blacks prop – and fly-half Riley Hohepa – who moves up a division after two seasons with NEC Green Rockets, kicks off their pre-season fixtures next month against Saitama Wild Knights and Dempsey has already put his hand up for selection.
New head coach Syms, who had stints at the helm of NPC outfit Hawke's Bay (2021 – 2023) and Major League Rugby side Old Glory DC (2022 – 2023), confirmed that their new number eight will feature against Saitama on 17 October.
Panasonic-backed Saitama, who will welcome dual-code star Mark Nawaqanitawase to Japan in November, whitewashed then-defending champions Toshiba 46-0 and 45-0 last season.
“He will play in the pre-season game against Panasonic, everyone will be selected and that’s not my decision, he’s told me he’s playing,” said Syms.
“Jack is totally committed to this club. I don’t think I’ve met anyone as physically and mentally committed as he is.
“I've actually had two complaints that Jack is too physical at training.”
Dempsey, who joins a talent-rich forwards pack including Japan legend Michael Leitch and Super Rugby-winning Japan captain Warner Dearns, explained that his 2019 Rugby World Cup experience in Japan left a lasting impression on him.
"In 2019, when I was in with the Wallabies, the World Cup was in Japan. I was a young man, I was 24 and I got to travel around Japan. We were here for two months and I loved the culture, the people, the food and the lifestyle.
“I always thought that I’d love to get the opportunity to come back to play here.
“When this opportunity came up, and especially with a team like Toshiba I was very excited and it was too good to turn down.”
Dempsey, who also played in Japan against the Sunwolves while he was on the books of the Waratahs, shared his first impressions of the Toshiba setup and adjustments he will need to make to his game in time for their season opener away against Honda Heat on Saturday 12 December.
“I’ve settled in very well. Pre-season has been very refreshing. You drop into a brand new team and you feel like you're learning a new game again.
“The work has bene very hard. Toshiba has a rich history of working hard and especially their forward pack and I’m proud to be a part of that.”
Dempsey added: “The biggest difference I’ve found is the speed of the game in training. I left Super Rugby in 2020 so I haven’t played that kind of rugby in a while.
“Test rugby can be fast and sometimes it can be slow, it changes. Everything here so far, whether its contact or non-contact, is fast. Once I get my feet back under me the game will slow down for me again.”
The Scottish powerhouse named his former Wallabies World Cup teammate Sean McMahon, who plays for local rivals Suntory Sungoliath, as a player he’s looking forward to testing himself against.
“Sean McMahon sticks out," he said.
“Suntory is a big rival of ours. Sean and me grew up together, we played together for Australia and we beat the All Blacks in Brisbane just before he came to Suntory.
“He's someone I respect very highly as a back rower and his attitude to his injuries and the way he goes about the game. I haven’t played against him since then but that excites me.” Stay tuned to RugbyJP.com for full, on-site English coverage of the 2026-2027 League One season
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