For Spr Cameron McDonald (RE), the Army Reserves has provided him with an ideal opportunity to rejuvenate all areas of his life, both on and off the rugby pitch.
Indeed the end of the 2021/22 season could not have been much sweeter, with a Corps Championship winner’s medal in his collection and gaining experience in the red shirt as part of the Army Sevens team.
It is a far cry from what had been a disrupted couple of years as far as rugby was concerned, and when opportunities at London Scottish and Rotherham Titans came to nothing, by his own admission Spr McDonald was losing his love of the sport.
But then came a move home, a new career, and putting pen to paper with the Army Reserves, joining his elder brother, Mikey, as a Sapper and continuing a family tradition of service in the Army in the process.
This in turn opened up the opportunity to play alongside Mikey in the Sapper team that won its first Corps Championship in seven seasons, and to also follow in his brother’s footsteps into the red shirt.
Cameron made his debut for the Royal Engineers Corps team, playing alongside his brother fellow Sapper Mikey, in the 2022 Corps Final v the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
Image © Corps of Royal Engineers
“I had postponed joining the regulars so I could play rugby for London Scottish, and because it was my first professional contract in my eyes it was a big deal,” Spr McDonald explains. “But after London Scottish I signed for Rotherham, which ended up not being financially viable for me, and what rugby was doing to my life made me dislike it and left a bad taste in my mouth.
“Anything below the Premiership and Championship you have to sacrifice a lot, so it became a choice between the Army Reserve or civilian rugby. I knew I was going to be driving lorries, and the Army is more important to me, so I chose the Army instead really and it is the best of both worlds.
“Within about a month I got my Class 1 licence, I’d joined the Army, and since last October life has been genuinely perfect.”
With Spr McDonald spending so much life on the road for his day job, opportunities within civilian rugby would have been limited due to missed training sessions and matches. So being a part of the Sappers’ Corps Championship team and trying to be a part of the red shirt set-up provides him with all the rugby he needs.
“I am lucky to have found a good job where they support me,” he says, “and if I give a week’s notice they will let me go away. You have a real high standard of rugby within the Army. The Sevens is unbelievably good and the 15s is a very professional set-up, and hopefully I can be a part of that. My brother played at Twickenham last year so hopefully I will have an opportunity to play alongside him there in the future.
“Playing for the Army Sevens made me love the game again, and I just want to wear the shirt. All I have ever known is the Army with my family, and the fact that Reservists are allowed to play sports is so great.
Cameron played for the Army 7s team in the 2022 Super 7s Series.
Image – Alligin Photography © Cat Goryn
“Without the Army I wouldn’t be playing rugby right now.”
Playing alongside Mikey in the Army team would be the ultimate ambition, not least because the pair’s success with the Sappers is already pride at place at home.
“Mikey is my best mate as well as my brother and it meant everything to me, it was awesome,” he says. “We have a huge picture frame up at home now of me and him holding the trophy. I was fortunate enough to get into the team for the final, which was actually my first game for the Engineers. It was a huge occasion and having Mikey there just made it. My family was in the stand, and I know how much it means to the Engineers.
“It was so special, I loved it, and it was the most proud moment I’ve had.”
The brothers with the Drake-Jones Cannon Ball and Corps League 1 trophy at the end of the 2022 season.
Image – Alligin Photography © Lee Crabb
Words © New Dogs, Old Tricks
Header and Featured Images – Alligin Photography © Cat Goryn
