McNabney’s route into the Ireland set-up is not the traditional path taken by most players.
Growing up on a farm in Ballymena, he did not watch a lot of rugby growing up and only started playing in school. At the time, horses were his focus.
Long before he had even dreamt of becoming a professional rugby player, he had represented Northern Ireland and Great Britain’s equestrian teams.
“I rode horses from when I was about six until I was 16,” he said.
“Horses was sort of a main hobby, then it became a sport for me.”
At 16 he was given an ultimatum over his sporting future.
“Michael Black [a provincial talent coach] from Ulster was like, ‘you need to make the decision whether you’re going to put on a bit of timber and play rugby or stay lean and ride a horse’.
“I decided to play rugby. I was enjoying it, I stuck at it and here I am.”
As for equestrian, there’s no more horsing around for the big back row.
“We’ve still got one at home. If I’m taken to the field then I’ll maybe jump on it.
“Other than that, I only do it for the craic. I haven’t been on a horse in, I’d say, six months.”
Given his other interests, McNabney says he did not have a lot of rugby heroes growing up and instead simply “enjoyed playing it”.
“I didn’t really watch it that much. That probably went against me because I was quite green, and didn’t know much about it.
“But it wasn’t until I was getting to Ireland Under-20s that I really thought this is what I’m going to do for a job.”
