Stuart McInally: Scotland hooker would 'love another crack' at World Cup before retirement

Stuart McInally has played his last game for Edinburgh but hopes to be involved for Scotland at the World Cup

Scotland's Stuart McInally says he would "love another crack" at the Rugby World Cup before he retires later this year.

The Edinburgh hooker will hang up his boots when his contract expires to pursue a career as a commercial pilot.

McInally hopes he can bow out after adding to his 47 Scotland caps at the tournament in France.

"I am really motivated for that," McInally told the BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast.

"My contract is through to November and I've got no thoughts of finishing before then. It would be amazing to go to France and have another crack at a World Cup.

"I was named in the 2015 squad, had to pull out due to injury before we even left the hotel to go down to Newcastle. I was involved in 2019 but I'd love to have another crack.

"I'm aware that there's stiff competition at hooker and even the training squad is going to be tight for me to get into.

"Hopefully I've done enough to be in the conversation and I'll be doing everything I can to stay fit and healthy. If I do make the training squad I'll put my best foot forward to make that final squad."

After converting from the back-row to the front-row early in his career, McInally was one of the form hookers in world rugby from 2017 through to 2019.

His outstanding performances for club and country saw him named by Gregor Townsend as Scotland captain for the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

But the tournament did not pan out as he hoped. McInally was dropped for the crucial final pool match against Japan, with defeat in Yokohama sending Scotland out at the group stage.

"It wasn't a great time," McInally said. "The results weren't great and when you are captain a lot of it does fall on you, certainly the media pressures of it and everything.

"It's hard to say with the whole World Cup thing because there was a whole host of things that were going on that led to the results. I'm still glad I rose to the challenge and accepted that."

McInally said his experiences in Japan helped give him an understanding of Mike Blair's decision to step down as Edinburgh head coach.

Blair explained the demands of the role away from the training field had diminished his enjoyment of the job, and sees his immediate future as reverting to an assistant coach focused on attack.

"On Mike's decision, I'm really pleased he got there," said McInally, who played alongside Blair when he first broke into the Edinburgh team.

"He's put his heart and soul into the club and he's been brave enough to say: 'Do you know what, this isn't for me' which I respect and can relate to a lot with my own experiences.

"Going all the way back to 2019 and captaining Scotland, sometimes it takes you to get to that level and then you realise maybe I'm not quite ready for this, or this isn't for me just now.

"It was really brave and I'm really proud of him."