Former Scotland rugby captain’s retirement takes off in style as he becomes a Jet2 pilot

Former Scotland rugby captain Stuart McInally has begun a new career as a commercial pilot with Jet2, describing it as the fulfilment of a "lifelong dream". The 36-year-old, who retired from professional rugby in 2023 after a neck injury cut short his career, has quietly completed simulator training and real-life take-offs and landings before flying paying passengers, marking a striking career change for one of Scottish rugby's most decorated recent figures.

McInally won 47 caps for Scotland, captained the side at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, and also led Edinburgh Rugby across 175 appearances following his 2010 debut. He began building flying hours back in 2014 while still playing internationally, and started studying for his airline transport pilot licence within a day of announcing his retirement. He will now fly Boeing 737s for Jet2, and said qualities such as teamwork and staying calm under pressure carried over from rugby into aviation; Jet2's David Hills praised his transition into the role.