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Published 10:27 24 Oct 2020 BST
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"I just hope that from my playing, people with vision impairments can realise that you can get to the top of the mountain, somehow. "It's one thing getting to international rugby. It's another thing actually playing well. That's one thing I'm definitely not fully happy with - nine games [at Test level] and only one win. But hopefully it does give people a bit of inspiration, that they can do it."
Seven years after losing his sight in one eye, and battled his way back to surgeries, trial games a red-tape, McKinley made his Italy debut against Fiji in 2017.
His last Test outing was against his native Ireland in August 2019 and even though he is currently out of the Italian system, he is not giving up on his Test dreams.
"When you're out of the Italian system, it's a lot more difficult. My last game [for Treviso] was in February, when we played the Dragons, so a long, long time. But it's as good a time as ever to have a little break and regenerate the batteries. "I've unbelievable respect for the likes of Parisse, Sexton and Alessandro Zanni, who has just retired, as they're doing it at the top for 15, 16 years. It's an incredible feat."McKinley, then, is taking stock over the next few months as, like most of us, he keeps track of the news, updates, restrictions and tries to keep moving all the same. As for the match between his home country and his adopted country, McKinley has talked up a 20-year-old outhalf as one to watch.
"People are really excited to see Paolo Garbisi and he has played well, and been a captain for the Under 20s. They have three good out-halves at Treviso now, in Tommaso Allan, Ian Keatley and Paolo, and he has started those first three [Guinness PRO14 games]. "Then there's still that back row of Brams Steyn, Sebastian Negri and Jake Polledri. When they're on form and getting front-foot ball, they really are some of the most devastating ball-carriers you can come up against."Fighting Blindness' Retina 2020 conference Public Engagement Day taking place virtually on Saturday, November 7 from 10.30am to 2pm. More information on the event can be found here fightingblindness.ie
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