Scotland’s search for a first-ever win over the All Blacks has been defined by near misses, but Jack Dempsey believes the problem is not talent. The number eight, who will win his 50th cap on Saturday at Murrayfield, argues that Scotland consistency All Blacks is the issue: the team can reach the highest level for spells but cannot sustain it.
Dempsey, now based in Japan with Toshiba Brave Lupus after five years at Glasgow Warriors, will face New Zealand for the 34th time in Scotland’s history. Gregor Townsend’s side has lost three consecutive matches to the Kiwis by narrow margins, extending a wait that dates back more than 120 years.
Two areas hold Scotland back
Asked what must change for Scotland to break through, Dempsey pointed to momentum and messaging. He said the team can look like the best in the world for 20 minutes and then like the worst for the same period. He contrasted that with South Africa, the dominant side of recent years, which he said fields a first team and a second team that both deliver every week.
The second factor is staying united for longer, a theme Sione Tuipulotu has been pushing. Dempsey said that means making opponents work for every phase in defence and making life harder for them on every phase in attack. If Scotland can stack those moments, he believes habits will change and results will follow.
Dempsey’s unusual schedule
Dempsey’s move to Japan means he is available for the entire Nations Championship but will miss the Six Nations. He will be back for the World Cup. He admitted the decision was difficult and that he changed his mind repeatedly while weighing it up, feeling some guilt about leaving the club that revived his career.
He also spoke about the pull of the Six Nations, especially the Calcutta Cup, and said he would have loved to compete for that trophy every year. Ultimately, he said, the cliché of having only one career drove him to try as much as possible. He has played Super Rugby, for his home country Australia, for Glasgow and at Murrayfield, which he called the best place to play rugby.
Rennie reunion adds spice
Saturday will also reunite Dempsey with Dave Rennie, now the New Zealand head coach. Dempsey described their past as chequered and recalled that Rennie, while coaching Australia, questioned his physicality. Dempsey said he was not in a good place at the time and that Rennie’s blunt feedback helped send him to Glasgow. He described Rennie as a straight shooter and a high-character person, with no bitterness between them.
For Dempsey, the focus is on the pressure moments that have defined Scotland’s recent games against New Zealand. He said not everyone gets what they deserve in sport, and that a win over the All Blacks would be hard-earned. The near misses count for nothing now; only the next opportunity matters.
