James McNabney ready to saddle up when called by Ireland

GIDDY UP: James McNabney poses for a portrait after an Ireland Rugby squad media conference. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile.

It was the former Ulster head coach Dan McFarland who came up with the nickname ‘Horse’ for James McNabney after the young City of Armagh back row made his senior provincial debut away to Glasgow.

“There was a ball came out over the top of the lineout and I caught it and was running up the pitch. And, typically the way I run, I run with high knees. He said that I looked like a big old horse when I was running up the pitch and it's stuck ever since then.” 

It was the perfect moniker for a man who had spent so much time in the saddle growing up but is now in camp with Andy Farrell’s senior Ireland team and on the verge of earning a first Test cap in next month’s Nations Championships window.

His first love was the Mounted Games which the British Equestrian describes as “a fast-paced team competition that showcases the rider's athletic ability, agility, precision of riding and general horsemanship”.

He wasn’t as big then as he is now.

A relief for the ponies, no doubt, given he stands at over 6’ 3” and weighs in north of 19st, but he was talented enough to represent Northern Ireland and Great Britain. And he competed at the Royal Windsor Horseshow and at an international meet in the US.

That American trip was to be a crossroads.

He was 15 turning 16 at the time and already on the Ulster U18 squad. Jonny Graham, one of his coaches, was 'raging' when he took a fortnight off training in the summer to go Stateside. He still played the interpros, mind, but a decision had to be made.

It wasn’t all that hard by the sounds of it.

Plenty of people move on from the Mounted Games and into the equine business but that wasn’t for him. It was always more of a hobby and rugby had begun to assume a greater hold on him after a late start.

He hadn’t touched a ball until starting grammar school at Cambridge House in Ballymena at the age of 11. He was taller than most kids even then and brought an aggression and determination and some of the lessons learned on horseback with him.

“I didn't really take to it like a duck to water, but I did enjoy it straight away. I definitely liked it.” 

His uncle Sam had captained the school firsts back in the day but if there was any path James looked destined to take – and still does – then it will be in taking over a family farm that his father James runs now as his own dad, also James, did before him.

James McNabney speaking during an Ireland Rugby squad media conference. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

The McNabneys run a dairy and sheep operation and he likes to unwind on the family acres in the way most players prefer to play 18 holes of golf or migrate to the nearest coffee shop. The temptation is to suggest that he brings some ‘farmer’s strength’ to the day job.

“If anyone's ever sheared sheep they know exactly what that entails. It's not easy. But, no, there's not every day you're doing work on a farm. Some days you're driving, some days you're lifting things. It's all different. There's a variety of work, which is nice about it.”

He reckons that the two Grand Slams he won with the Ireland U20s opened his eyes to the realisation that there was a professional career in the making for him. An academy contract with Ulster took him another step closer and he has now signed on until 2029.

The crazy thing is that he has still just played 24 times for the province.

The 2024/25 season was his breakout year and he was included in Ireland’s summer training squad before picking up a long-term ACL injury. Recovery took longer than hoped for but he has four appearances under his belt this term and a Test debut within reach.

McNabney’s physicality and ball-carrying abilities at No.8 could be huge additions to the Irish armoury and the absences through injury right now of Caelan Doris and Jack Conan should open a path for options further down the depth chart.

Fiji on November 14 looks a real possibility.

“I would absolutely love it if I could get the opportunity, but there's no guarantee that I'm in here and I'm going to get capped. I know that for definite. I'm going to have to work hard to hopefully get an opportunity, and if it comes, that would be absolutely great.”