Scotland man ends 188-day lay-off but will need time to find form

The Scotland No 8, who has not played since the Six Nations match against Wales on March 8, will start for the Warriors against Northampton Saints at Scotstoun on Friday.

Dempsey, 31, has been out for six months with a hamstring issue and has been carefully nursed back to full fitness. It is an injury that has affected him previously in his career and no risks were taken in the recovery process.

Smith said Dempsey wanted to return at the end of last season but was urged to wait and the Glasgow head coach expects it will take the player a few games to get up to speed.

Need to be realistic

“I'm obviously excited for him,” said Smith. “He's recovered and he's worked so hard to get physically in good condition to be able to play again. I can see the excitement in him as well, so I'm looking forward to having him back.

“But we're also realistic, it's going to take a bit of time for him to get in form, so the ideal place to start is Friday night.

“He wanted to contribute at the back end of last season and he was really frustrated to not be able to do so. But then again, with that injury, he's had surgery on his leg before in that region, in his hamstring area, so we didn't want to take any risks, or to make the wrong call there. We had to bite the bullet, as did he. Now a lot of time has passed and I think he's ready to go.”

In fact, it is 188 days since Dempsey last played. His absence from the Glasgow side is even longer; he has not featured for the club since the Investec Champions Cup tie against Harlequins at the Stoop on January 18.

There was also good news on the Warriors’ mini injury crisis in the front row, with both Nathan McBeth and Jamie Bhatti returning to the squad after foot and calf issues, respectively. McBeth starts at loosehead, alongside hooker Gregor Hiddleston and tighthead Fin Richardson, with Bhatti named among the 15 replacements.

Nine changes

Regarding Bhatti, Smith said: “In the ideal world, we would have liked to have waited another week with him, but he's trained well this week so I think he'll play some part.”

Smith has made nine changes to the young side that lost 47-14 at Bath last weekend, with only Richardson, back-rowers Euan Ferrie and Macenzzie Duncan, centres Kerr Yule and Kerr Johnston and wing Fergus Watson retaining their places in the starting line-up. Watson switches from full-back.

This week’s team has a bit more experience and includes Ollie Smith on the left wing, Josh McKay at full-back, Ben Afshar at scrum-half and Max Williamson and Alex Samuel in the second row.

There is also a first start in Glasgow colours for Dan Lancaster following an outing off the bench against Bath. The new signing from Racing 92 will play at 10 against the Saints in what is the Warriors’ final pre-season match before their United Rugby Championship campaign kicks off at home to the Sharks on September 26.

Meanwhile, former Glasgow head coach Danny Wilson is to leave Harlequins to become new Wales boss Steve Tandy’s assistant.

Tandy left his post as Scotland’s defence coach to take the Wales job and Wilson too used to be on the Scotland coaching staff, as forwards coach between 2018 and 2020.

Glasgow Warriors team

(To play Northampton Saints, Scotstoun, Friday, 7.30pm)

Glasgow: 15 Josh McKay; 14 Fergus Watson, 13 Kerr Johnston, 12 Kerr Yule, 11 Ollie Smith; 10 Dan Lancaster, 9 Ben Afshar; 1 Nathan McBeth, 2 Gregor Hiddleston, 3 Fin Richardson, 4 Max Williamson, 5 Alex Samuel, 6 Euan Ferrie (capt), 7 Macenzzie Duncan, 8 Jack Dempsey.

Replacements: Johnny Matthews, Jake Shearer, Sam Talakai, Jare Oguntibeju, Gregor Brown, Angus Fraser, Jack Oliver, Matthew Urwin, Ben Salmon, Johnny Ventisei, Jamie Bhatti, Seb Stephen, Dylan Cockburn, Brent Jackson, Alex Bryden.