After years of setbacks due to injuries, talented Waratahs backrower Jack Dempsey is set to notch up his 50th Super Rugby cap for the Waratahs this Saturday against the Crusaders at WIN Stadium in Wollongong.
The St Ignatius College student and Gordon backrower has spent the past seven seasons with the Waratahs, making his Super Rugby debut with the side back in 2015 against the Sharks.
Unfortunately, injuries restricted Dempsey to just 21 games in his first four seasons, but whenever he was fit, he has always been selected in the Waratahs match-day 23.
The Waratahs backrower has ticked almost every box during his time in NSW. From winning a Shute Shield Premiership with childhood club side Gordon in 2020, to making his Test debut at just 23, to earning man-of-the-match honours in a Bledisloe Cup win and featuring in the Wallabies 2019 World Cup campaign.
During the week Jack Dempsey reflected on the upcoming milestone with media at training.
“It’s pretty special for me, for a lot of guys 50 is not a massive thing when obviously you’re talking about 100, 150. For a guy who’s in his seventh year now it’s not ideal, I could be coming up for my 100th this weekend if I had a better run of luck with injuries”, Dempsey said.
“For me its just a little milestone just to acknowledge what I’ve been through, me personally and for my family as well it’s a token for them as they’ve gone on this journey with me”.
For Dempsey the milestone also serves as a reminder to his team mates the realities of professional sports and the toll it can take on your body.
“Also, for some of the younger guys to see what it means to get 50, it’s not always rainbows and fairies and playing every game, every week, its not that easy”, Dempsey said.
“There’s a lot of obstacles along the way. Some guys are lucky enough not to come across them and some like myself must face a few more than others.
“I’m just excited to go out there just for another game. I learnt early on just to take every game at a time as they come and I’m lucky enough to have this one at home and against probably the best team in the world. So, it’s going to be exciting.”
Jack Dempsey departs for Glasgow Warriors at the end of the Waratahs Trans-Tasman campaign and leaves with a well-deserved milestone.
