Jack Leslie has signed with London Scottish and the Otago utility back leaves for the United Kingdom this month.
It is a bit of a family tradition.
Jack’s father John is an Otago great. He played 123 games for the province and 32 games for the Highlanders in the 1990s before heading offshore to play for the Scotland national team.
John’s younger brother Martin also played international rugby for Scotland. They were actually on the team at the same time and qualified through their grandparents.
A couple of decades later another Leslie is keen to try his luck abroad and perhaps even don the colours of Scotland himself.
‘‘Yeah, that would be amazing,’’ Jack said.
‘‘I think any opportunity like that would be super cool. But for now, I’m just focusing on getting over there, performing and playing good rugby.
‘‘And then opportunities will come.’’
Jack, who has played seven games for Otago, has not played a game of rugby since he got injured during a preseason match against Southland last season.
The Southern first five had a troublesome foot and niggly hip issue. Both required operations.
But he is ‘‘good to go now’’.
‘‘But, yeah, it was a frustrating time. Injuries are part of the game, I guess. You just have to be comfortable with the risk of that.
‘‘I’d never been injured before that and it all kind of just hit me.’’
The opportunity to play for London Scottish came about through an old team-mate of his father’s.
Bryan Redpath, who is the director of London Scottish, played alongside John in the Scottish team.
The halfback clocked 60 games for his country.
‘‘I guess it was a coincidence, but also there was that relationship there.
‘‘The communication was between me, Dad and Bryan, so it was a really easy conversation with that relationship.’’
Jack was born in Scotland. But his mother Carmel revealed it was a close call in an interview with the Otago Daily Times in 2021.
‘‘We were actually living in northern England, in a little town called Corbridge,’’ Carmel said.
‘‘Because John was the Scottish captain, there was an expectation that I would have a Scottish baby. So I drove up to Melrose, while in serious labour, and we had our Scottish baby.
‘‘Jack’s my little Scot. But Amaya was born in England. She’s my English rose.’’
While Jack has signed a one-year deal, he has not booked a return flight and is going for the foreseeable future.
He has a degree in finance and marketing but he is looking to develop his rugby first and foremost.
Otago used him as a midfielder, but he played his school rugby at first five and he is comfortable at fullback as well.
He has not given up on the idea of playing professional rugby in New Zealand.
‘‘Not quite, no.
‘‘I’m always open to opportunity, but right now my focus is on playing well for London Scottish.
‘‘And any opportunities that come from that, I’ll be ready for.’’
