# Horses, farming and a bad injury – McNabney’s rise to Ireland

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/horses-farming-and-a-bad-injury-mcnabneys-rise-to-ireland/
- Published: 2026-10-29T07:58:56+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-29T08:04:08+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Sport (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/c6dxwzpeydk5o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: Sport

## Key points

- McNabney earns his first Ireland call-up.
- The 23-year-old returned after a year out with an ACL injury.
- He switched from competitive horse riding to rugby at 16.

## Summary

James McNabney has earned his first Ireland call-up after recovering from a serious knee injury, and could make his debut in November’s Nations Championship fixtures. The 23-year-old Ulster back row’s selection reflects the coaching staff’s confidence in him after an unusual route into rugby and a year away from play.

Raised on a farm in Ballymena, McNabney focused on horses before choosing rugby at 16; he had represented Northern Ireland and Great Britain in equestrian sport. He won Under-20 Six Nations Grand Slams with Ireland in 2022 and 2023, then missed a potential senior call-up after tearing his ACL. Standing 6ft 5in and weighing almost 19 stone, he returned for Ulster in pre-season and may face Argentina, Fiji, South Africa or another November opponent.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.