In 2013 it was announced that he would be making the transformation from flanker to hooker, then in 2014 RFU Championship side Bristol Rugby signed him on loan.
[2] He made his competitive debut in his new position for Edinburgh in early 2015, and was called up to the Scotland squad for the 2015 summer tests.
After securing his first caps in the double-header victories against Italy, McInally was named in the final 31-man squad for the 2015 Rugby World Cup by Head Coach Vern Cotter.
[6] In August 2016, Edinburgh Rugby named him and Grant Gilchrist as their co-captains for the coming season.
He was not initially included in the Scotland squad announced in August but brought in as a replacement for the injured Dave Cherry.