Former Wasps lock set for Premiership return after short URC stint

Ex-Wasps lock Kiran McDonald is primed for a return to the Gallagher Premiership in 2023/24 after he agreed on a deal to join Newcastle Falcons. The Scottish forward was quickly snapped up by Munster after the October 17 Wasps collapse but with that short-term deal ending on January 31, his long-term future will now be back in England.

A statement read: “Lock Kiran McDonald will join Newcastle Falcons this summer on a two-year deal, with the experienced Scot having played for Munster, Wasps and the Barbarians this season.

“The 28-year-old stands at 6ft 8ins(202cm) and 18 stone 4 (116kg), playing more than 50 times for Glasgow Warriors in the Heineken Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship before moving to Wasps last year.

“McDonald was called up by Scotland for their summer tour in 2021 only to see all three games cancelled due to covid, and was last year involved in their Six Nations training squad. Leaving hometown club Glasgow this season, he made four Gallagher Premiership starts for Wasps before the club were suspended from the competition in October.

“Taking up a three-month deal with Munster in the interim, McDonald was part of the side as the Irish province defeated South Africa 28-14 in front of a sell-out 41,000 crowd in Cork, and played for a star-studded Barbarians squad on their European tour. He will head to the north eat in July to link up with the Falcons.”

McDonald said: “Newcastle have had some great results and scored some electric tries with the quick and skilful backs they have got, and it’s definitely going in the right direction with the kind of rugby they want to play. I have been to Kingston Park and it’s quite an intimate setting where you can feel the crowd being close to the pitch, and that will be really good to experience.

“I can imagine it’s a big advantage for the boys having that support behind you, and then in terms of the weather it will be similar to what I’m used to in Glasgow. I’m a Scotsman so it’s not very far away from home, and my partner and I are expecting our first child in March.

“It’s helpful from a family side of things to be so close to Scotland and from a rugby perspective, it’s a really exciting place to be. I have been watching the Falcons’ games for a while now and they’ve been playing some great stuff, so it’s exciting to be a part of that.

“It’s been a bit of a crazy few months, but I’m a big believer that everything happens for a reason. I have had a positive experience with Munster and the Barbarians, we have got a baby on the way and an exciting new start in Newcastle to look forward to.

“From what I gather it’s quite similar to Glasgow as a city in terms of the type of people and the pride they have in the area, and it’s close enough to Scotland that we can have that support network of family within arm’s reach.

“Having a few months with Munster was great. Everyone knows what a big team they are, it was a good learning opportunity and a chance to get some rugby under my belt after everything that happened with Wasps.

“It’s kept me ticking over in terms of bridging the gap between coming to Newcastle, and I’ve had some great experiences like being in the Munster team which beat South Africa in front of more than 40,000 supporters. It felt like 80,000 and was just an incredible atmosphere, and then I was also lucky enough to tour with the Barbarians.”

Newcastle boss Dave Walder added: “Kiran brings a good amount of experience and physicality to our forward pack, and we’re looking forward to him starting with us in the summer.

“He is a big presence in the lineout who has had a taste of the Gallagher Premiership with his time at Wasps during the start of the season, and he has the attitude and work ethic that we look for from our players.”