When Andy Onyeama-Christie fractured and dislocated his left ankle last October playing for Saracens against Harlequins, the effect it had on the other players on the pitch was startling. “It was almost like a horror movie,” Saracens’ director of rugby Mark McCall said. “Players just couldn't look.” The injury to the Scotland flanker at the Stoop came in two separate movements. A tackle by Quins hooker Jack Walker floored Onyeama-Christie and he knew something was broken. But as his team-mate Nick Tompkins tried to alert the referee to stop play, the Harlequins second row Stephan Lewies attempted to clear out Tompkins and succeeded in kicking Onyeama-Christie's fractured ankle. He later reflected that it was “the worst pain imaginable” and also experienced the trauma of looking down to see his foot pointing the wrong way. Happily, Onyeama-Christie recovered far quicker than expected even if some of the pain has lingered. He joined up with the Scotland squad in Edinburgh this week and will fly with them to New Zealand for a summer tour which begins with a non-cap clash with the Māori All Blacks in Whangārei a week on Saturday and continues with Test matches against Fiji in Suva on July 12 and Samoa at Eden Park, Auckland on July 18. “I’m feeling happy to be back in here,” said Onyeama-Christie at the team hotel on the western outskirts of Edinburgh. “I have been in the wars a fair few times over the last couple of seasons but am feeling good and hopeful.” If anyone deserves an injury-free run it is the combative Sarries forward who has missed more than his fair share of important fixtures in recent seasons. He twice broke his arm in a 12-month period between 2023 and 2024, causing him to miss the Rugby World Cup and last summer’s Scotland tour. In between, he impressed enough in last year’s Six Nations to suggest he could be a real asset in the Scotland back row. Then came the horrendous setback at the Stoop which put paid to hopes of playing in this year’s Six Nations. He made his return for Saracens in a friendly against Edinburgh at Hive Stadium on March 14 and has played eight competitive games since, starting twice. He’s still not back to where he wants to be but is way ahead of schedule. “No, I don’t think I am at my best physically,” he says with admirable candour. “The injury was a weird one but I got over it quicker than expected. It was supposed to be nine months’ recovery and I got it in six which was brilliant and meant I could play some games at the end of the season for Saracens. “I still get frustrated with it. Some will say that will last my whole career. Others say once I get over this season it will start easing off, so it is what it is. My main aim is to not let it hold me back. When I start training and playing I forget about it. The main thing is to stay on top of the rehab.” It still feels sore and it means his preparation for games now takes longer but it’s getting better. “It’s the ankle itself. It gets stiff more than it would before. It gets more painful and I have to warm up properly. I used to be able to run out onto the pitch but now I need a bit of time to do bits around it and warm up. It’s not a major concern of mine. Like I say, when I play I don’t think about it which is great. Compared to when I first returned to playing it is ten times better. “I have played a good few games [since the injury]. People say it takes three or four games to get up to match fitness after pre-season. My vision of it is I am really excited for the tour and getting some games out there and then will take my time off and relax a bit and go into a good pre-season with Saracens. I don’t know how it will go but a big part of it is to accept what has happened and get on with it. “I might well get back to my best on this tour. I had a lot of appearances off the bench after I returned and only had two starts. Sometimes you need more and more minutes to get back right.” Having made his Scotland debut as a replacement against France in the 2022 Six Nations, Onyeama-Christie has had to be patient as injuries have conspired against him. He has eight caps now and is looking forward to adding to the tally next month. “I am so proud to be back in the environment and it has been a long time since I have been,” said the player who qualifies for Scotland through his maternal grandparents. “I know how proud I am and my family is to get back with Scotland.” Going to New Zealand holds extra appeal to Onyeama-Christie who played over there in his early days as a pro and was taken under the wing of Rodney So'oialo, the great All Blacks back-rower. “I spent three months in Wellington when I was 19 at the end of my first season at Saracens in the senior academy. I had a couple of niggles so they sent me out there to get some more game time. I was part of the Wellington academy but played club rugby for Petone. “I really enjoyed it and it was good for my rugby education. I had some close coaching from Rodney So'oialo which was invaluable really. I am excited to get back out there. Obviously it is winter so conditions out there will suit our guys more than it would if we were playing in their summer time.”