sport news An emotional Josh McNally loves playing for Bath... but he's even more proud of ... trends now
At the age of just 18, Bath’s Josh McNally joined the Royal Air Force and swore an oath to ‘be faithful and bear true allegiance’ to Queen Elizabeth II and her heirs.
‘I’m honoured to have served for you,’ McNally posted on social media after his team faced Bristol in the days following the late monarch’s passing. ‘Thank you, Ma’am’.
A career in professional rugby has come McNally’s way rather by accident, but also as a by-product of his early days in the RAF.
Josh McNally loved playing for Bath but he is more proud of his service in the Royal Air Force
His dad, Stephen, was a member of the Royal Engineers and following in his father’s footsteps had always been the plan.
That was until the RAF spotted his sporting ability. They allowed McNally to represent Henley Hawks from where he progressed quickly. Stints at London Welsh, London Irish and now Bath have followed for a man whose career has been anything but conventional.
‘I always wanted to serve my country,’ McNally tells Sportsmail. ‘That desire has never changed. I’ve been very, very fortunate to have followed the path I have, but I’m also very, very proud of the service I’ve given.
‘In the military we swear the oath and allegiance to the sovereign, but when something like the Queen’s passing happens it makes you realise how much the monarchy means to you.
‘It’s been a hugely emotional time. It’s quite an amazing thing how everyone has been able to reflect in the last week or so. It shows how important the monarchy is to this country. I’m a big believer in that. I believe the good it brings to the country outweighs any potential negatives.’
McNally and his Bath team-mates watched the Queen’s funeral at their Farleigh House training base on Monday as they prepared for their next Premiership clash with Wasps.
Friday’s game will be Bath’s third of the new season. Their opener with Bristol was pushed back by just under 24 hours following the Queen’s death, but rugby in England has carried on when other sports, notably football, opted to pause. For McNally, being able to take to the field has not only felt right, but also been a fitting tribute to the monarch.
‘I think playing games was the right way to go,’ he adds. ‘I know the country has been in mourning, but the tributes we saw across the Premiership and also in cricket and golf were brilliant.
‘The fact they allowed people to show their respects was huge. I think football will regret a missed opportunity.
‘People want to come together and show respect in unity. They don’t want to be on their own. You could have heard a pin drop when we played Bristol. ‘The minute of silence was probably one of the most poignant I’ve been a part of and it was the start of something new by singing the new national anthem. It was very, very special for me.’
Given his background, the Queen’s passing has unsurprisingly touched McNally more than most sportsmen or women.
The 32-year-old English lock joined Bath from London Irish back in the summer of 2019
He trained as a weapons engineer, first at RAF Halton and then RAF Cosford. At that stage, after a military upbringing which included stints living in Cyprus and the Falkland Islands, McNally saw no future other than a career working in the RAF.
His brief, in simplistic
