Dempsey fit again and ready to roar for Glasgow Warriors

Glasgow Warriors forward Jack Dempsey is fit again and ready to roar as the club prepare for the United Rugby Championship season. The Scotland forward has spent months sidelined by a hamstring problem that kept him out of Scotland’s Six Nations win over Wales, the final away to France, Glasgow’s season run-in, and the Scotland summer tour to New Zealand and Fiji, with the prospect of a British and Irish Lions selection lingering in the background.

Speaking about the setback, Dempsey described it as a 'weird one' and said the choice came down to 'surgery or no surgery.' He noted that even if he had undergone surgery, the timing would have been similar, so the decision was to take a conservative route and rebuild rather than rush back. 'It’s never going to be fully back to what it was,' he added, but his body has adapted and strengthened in other ways as he restarts rehab.

In the weeks that followed, Dempsey explained, the rehab encountered scar tissue and flare-ups tied to old injuries. The plan was to be thorough rather than trigger another setback, a process he says is aimed at protecting his mid- to long-term future rather than securing a single late-season return. He returned to training and began building match fitness with Glasgow's group.

His absence also meant missing out on the Lions tour; 'That was obviously tough,' he said. 'Seeing Nonz and Shuggy [Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones] get announced there having played with them a lot at both levels and knowing their backgrounds. I ended up just watching as a fan.'

Franco Smith recently extended his contract at Glasgow after months of speculation that he might move on, and Dempsey said keeping the head coach 'in the building' is a smart move for the long term of Scottish rugby. 'The development, not chopping and changing... it’s a mature decision for the long term of Scottish rugby,' he said.

Glasgow begin their URC campaign at home to the Sharks on Friday night, and Dempsey said the squad is 'very short-term focused' under Smith's plan, with a five-game block before the autumn schedule. 'We’ve got to bank points early and get new boys blooded,' he added, noting last season’s slips against Ospreys and Benetton as lessons learned rather than excuses.

Dempsey also highlighted the depth developing within the squad, referencing his club-mates Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones, who starred for the Lions in Australia, as a sign of Glasgow’s evolving forward line and backline options. The forward stressed that his return is about consistency and longevity, aiming to help Glasgow push up the URC table and contend for home semi-finals in the months ahead.