Josh McNally

Josh McNally took an unconventional route to the top of the professional game, and that resilience is reflected in the uncompromising forward he has become. Born on 21 August 1990, the blindside flanker earned a Test cap for England in 2021, the crowning moment of a career that has also included spells with Bath and London Irish before his move to Cardiff Rugby. McNally's chief asset is his lineout expertise; a genuine aerial option, he is as comfortable operating in the second row as he is at blindside, giving Cardiff valuable set-piece flexibility. Allied to that is a hard-nosed defensive game and a willingness to do the heavy lifting in the tight-loose exchanges. He is not a player who seeks the limelight but rather one who does the essential, often thankless work that underpins a functioning pack — securing the set piece, making his tackles and competing for every metre. His experience across the English and Welsh leagues gives him a rounded understanding of forward play, and at Cardiff he serves as a dependable set-piece operator and a physically abrasive presence in the engine room.