Edinburgh and Scotland hooker Stuart McInally has described his decision to quit rugby and become an airline pilot as a move that has been 10 years in the making.
The former national captain has announced he will hang up his boots when his contract ends in November, by which time he will be 33.
He began flying in 2013, three years after his Edinburgh debut, but although the switch from one career to the other has been a long time in the making, he admitted it was an emotionally difficult step to make.
“It was really tough knowing this was the moment to move on,” McInally said. “I always thought it would be really easy to retire because I’ve always known what I want to do after rugby – become a pilot – but stepping away from the club I love is massive, and it’s been a huge decision.
“However, I feel ready, and this is such an exciting opportunity. I drive under a flight path every morning on my journey into BT Murrayfield and so often see planes landing at Edinburgh Airport. I start to think ‘What is the pilot seeing? How are they adapting?’. And that gets me excited for the next steps in my career.
“While I’m obviously sad to be moving on, this decision has really been 10 years in the making. I started flying back in 2013 and a lot of work has gone in to get to this point. I’m now massively excited to pursue a career as a commercial airline pilot.”
Like Ross Ford, who also captained Edinburgh and Scotland, McInally began his career in the back row before switching to hooker. His first club appearance in his new position came in 2015 and his first Scotland cap soon followed.
He has 47 national caps and has made 176 appearances for Edinburgh. Although he still hopes to add to that Scotland tally in this summer’s pre-World Cup friendlies and then at the World Cup itself, his last Edinburgh appearance will be in tomorrow’s final game of the season against Ulster in Belfast.
“I look back on my time with Edinburgh so fondly,” he continued. “I’ve seen a lot of people at the club come and go, but the club has gone from strength to strength, and I really do believe it’s in a better place than it’s ever been.
“I’ve had 12 years with the club and so many special memories. Looking back at Toulouse in 2012 – 37,000 Edinburgh fans at BT Murrayfield. More recently, making my 150th appearance for the club down at Sale really sticks out. I shared that moment with Chris Dean who made his 100th appearance for the club. A big European game, against a big English Premiership club, and turning them over on their own patch. Getting presented with a gift from the squad was a really special moment post-match.
“As I move on later this year, I have so many people to thank. I owe a huge amount to my wife Natalie. Without even realising, she has sacrificed so much of her time to allow me to chase my dreams. She does so much, looking after our son Ollie and it’s an amazing feeling seeing them both after games – nothing beats it.
“I also want to thank Rob Moffat, who was the first Edinburgh coach I worked with. And lastly, I just want to thank the fans, the people who come and support us week in, week out.
“It’s great that we’ve been able to give supporters a new home and I know how much Edinburgh fans love packing out DAM Health Stadium. They give us so much energy and I now can’t wait to come back as a supporter after I hang up my boots.”
Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair added: “Stuart is a club legend and he’ll go down as one of Edinburgh Rugby’s most celebrated players because of his commitment to the jersey and dedication to being the best player he can possibly be for his boyhood team.
“Stuart commands respect across the club because of the way he carries himself as both a professional rugby player and a man. There isn’t a training session he won’t give 110 per cent to, or a meeting he won’t fully prepare for – he’s the definition of a complete professional and his team-mates look up to him because of his leadership.
“Stuart will soon move on to a new career as a pilot and I’ve got no doubts he’ll be a success in that too. I’ve seen first hand how dedicated he was when switching from back-row to hooker. He’s completely driven to achieve his dreams and that’s exactly what he’s done during his time with Edinburgh and Scotland in over a decade of service to the sport.”
