Flying Cardiff start for RAF corporal McNally

Josh McNally won his one England cap against USA in July 2021

New Cardiff lock Josh McNally has made a flying start to his new career in Wales following his arrival from Bath.

That should come as no surprise for people who have followed the career of the RAF weapons technician, with McNally overcoming a mini-stroke seven years ago to go on and be capped by England in 2021.

McNally says the move to Wales has come at the right time as he has helped Cardiff to opening bonus-point wins against Zebre and Scarlets in the United Rugby Championship, with champions Glasgow visiting the Arms Park on Friday night.

"I'm just loving my rugby," said McNally.

"Coming into my final year at Bath, I put a lot of pressure on myself.

"I wanted to get another contract and had a tough year of not playing. People around you when you get to 34, start asking you questions like when are you going to retire and stuff but I don't feel like I'm ready to.

"I had some good conversations with Jockey [Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt] and felt like I had something to give still.

"I had an opportunity to come here and it's been the most refreshing period of my career."

RAF assistance

McNally is an RAF technician who took his first steps towards professional rugby when he joined Henley Hawks in 2012.

This gave him the platform to progress to London Welsh in 2014, on the RAF's elite athlete programme.

He joined London Irish in 2017, before moving to the Rec in 2019 where he spent five years and made 87 appearances.

Corporal McNally is still employed by the RAF who are allowing him to continue his rugby dream in Wales, while expecting him to play in two games a year against the army and navy.

"I didn't come through the traditional route of rugby," McNally told the Scrum V podcast.

"I joined the RAF at 18 and served six years, and rugby started to get better and better for me.

"They allowed me to leave my primary role and go and play at London Welsh at that time.

"They have been fantastic over the last 11 years. They have supported me moving around and even coming here they have been fully supportive of letting me play and crack on.

"There is always that niggle in the back of your head, when are you going to stop and what are you going to do? I know I have always been able to go back to them.

"It's also to nice say to the academy here [that] if rugby does not work out, this is a great pathway also.

"Sometimes the academy system becomes insular and appears to be the only way in. But there are other ways into the professional game."

Combating health concerns

Josh McNally spent five years at Bath during which time he captained the club

McNally has also overcome health scares to continue his career.

He was playing for London Irish when he suffered a minor stroke in October 2017 following a Premiership defeat by Saracens.

It was caused by a hole in his heart and he had surgery to correct the condition, known as patent foramen ovale, before returning to action a few months later.

"The main scary part was not knowing what it was," said McNally.

"Having a stroke and coming through that pretty unscathed, was pretty lucky.

"Stroke is a big word and you see people who don't survive them.

"Coming through that, it was more the unknown of if I could keep playing rugby, while you don't want them to keep happening.

"But like any injury, you treat it by looking at what was the cause and can it be fixed?

"We were lucky to work with great surgeons and specialists which gave me the confidence to go again.

"I came back within a few months. My wife mentions it every now and again, but I've never really thought about it."

McNally is determined to keep playing as long as he can.

"I've always treated myself with the sense I'll go as long as I can go," said McNally.

"I've played with players who are in their 30s and they start creaking.

"I'm not saying I'm not creaking, but I'm not waking up in the morning and thinking I don't want to train.

"My body is in a good place. I'll go as long as I can. With a young family, when big injuries happen, you question if you want to keep putting yourself through it.

"But as long as my body holds up, I'll keep going until it says otherwise."