Rowntree confident McDonald will plug Munster gap

McDonald was signed in the middle of last week when Thomas Ahern was the latest lock to be made unavailable

Mon, 31 Oct, 2022 - 01:00

Simon Lewis

Graham Rowntree has described short-term lock signing Kiran McDonald as “just what we need” to plug the hole in Munster’s second-row injury crisis.

McDonald was signed in the middle of last week when Thomas Ahern was the latest lock to be made unavailable to the head coach due to a shoulder injury. With Tadhg Beirne away for the next four weeks on Ireland duty, Munster are also without Jean Kleyn (ribs), Fineen Wycherley (shoulder), Paddy Kelly (head), and RG Snyman (knee) for the foreseeable future.

The former Glasgow second row had been released by Wasps following their entry into voluntary administration and became Munster’s third short-term injury cover signing in a week alongside the returning prop John Ryan from the same club and Irish-qualified centre Olli Morris from a similarly stricken Worcester.

Rowntree has already used 55 players in this first third of the season with Ryan parachuted straight into the front row for Saturday’s 15-14 loss at home to Ulster.

The 6ft 8ins Scotsman McDonald and Morris could feature in Munster’s next game, the sold-out clash with South Africa A at Cork’s Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Thursday, November 10.

“We moved quickly there,” Rowntree said on Saturday of McDonald’s signing. “We got the news back from Thomas on Wednesday and it’s well publicised we’re a bit thin on the deck in terms of second rows so we moved quickly there.

“There were a lot of options available to us. We picked Kiran up. Match-hardened, played every game for Wasps this season and quickly with the help of the IRFU got a deal together where he’s with us.

“And he warmed up with us tonight. He would have been straight in if there was any injury in the warm-up.

“From what I’ve seen from him already, he’s just what we need. Big man, athletic, good attitude.”

Ryan’s signing was initially to cover the loss of fellow veteran tighthead Stephen Archer, who underwent ankle surgery last week but Rowntree revealed Kenyan Knox had also been injured.

“It was a quick turnaround,” the Munster boss said of 34-year-old Ryan’s 198th Munster appearance. I said to him, he’s warming up and I could see him looking around, having a moment to himself.

“Seven days ago that wasn’t on the cards but we had to move quickly on that one as well with Stephen’s operation and at that time as well, Roman (Salanoa) was out with concussion and we’ve since lost Knoxy to a couple of bangs.

“So we needed to sign him and I thought he played really well tonight.”