Newcastle Falcons can confirm that Tim Swinson has signed for Glasgow Warriors for the start of the 2012-13 season.

The 25-year-old lock who scooped last season’s Falcons Player of the Season award moves north of the border to increase his chances of playing for Scotland.

But for now Swinson’s focus is solely on securing the Falcons’ Aviva Premiership status as the fight-back continues.

“It was a hard decision to make and the fans have been amazing during my time here at Kingston Park,” Swinson told media manager Stewart McCullough.

He added: “I am fully focussed on helping the Falcons secure its Aviva Premiership status. I have a responsibility to be 100 percent committed to Newcastle until the end of the current season.”

Swinson, a one-time Australian Grand finalist with Sydney University, is eligible to play for Scotland courtesy of a maternal grandmother. He has signed a two-year contract with the Warriors, taking him up to the end of May 2014.

Making 23 appearances for the Falcons this season to date, Swinson admits it took a heavy heart to announce he was leaving a club with an ambitious vision.

He said: “There is no doubt that the Falcons are an ambitious club and there has certainly been a positive change around the place since I joined the club.

“I leave on good terms and the move has been handled well on both sides.”