Scotland Six Nations: Andy Christie overcomes ‘tough, tough times’ to stake claim for Wales opener

Andy Christie missed the Rugby World Cup through injury and still bears the scars. Literally.

The Saracens flanker rolls up his sleeve to reveal a long wound on his forearm, the result of surgery after he broke his radius, the bone which stretches from elbow to wrist. The injury proved worse than initially diagnosed and as summer wore on it became evident his hopes of going to France with Scotland were diminishing.

“I got injured before the World Cup,” he explains. “The hope was I would be fit in time but it didn't work out that way unfortunately, so I just had to sit at home and watch. I broke my radius and I've got the scars to show for it. It took three operations and I was out for almost seven months which was tough, because it was only supposed to be three months at a push, so it was a tough, tough time. But it feels fine now. I play with a little pad on it and off I go.”

The 24-year-old recovered in time for the start of the domestic season and has been a fixture in the Saracens back row in both the Premiership and Champions Cup. His form impressed Gregor Townsend and he has been named in his squad for the Guinness Six Nations which kicks off for Scotland on Saturday against Wales at the Principality Stadium.

Andy Christie takes on France's Grégory Alldritt during his Scotland debut in the 2022 Six Nations match at Murrayfield. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The national coach has freshened up his group for the championship and Christie is one of 11 players selected who weren’t involved at the World Cup. Christie is effectively taking the place of Hamish Watson after the Lions Test cap was a surprise omission from Townsend’s squad. Watson’s absence serves to highlight the competition in the back row where versatility could be key. Christie, usually an openside, has also played at six and eight this season and is comfortable in all three positions.

The back-row coterie also includes Rory Darge, Jamie Ritchie, Luke Crosbie, Matt Fagerson, Jack Dempsey and Josh Bayliss and Christie knows he faces a battle to start in Cardiff, a venue at which Scotland have not won for 22 years.

“Luke is a fantastic player then you've got Jamie, Darge, Matt, Demmo, Bayliss… and then the boys who are not here like ‘Mish’ [Watson], who’s a phenomenal player. We just have to do what we can, play as well as we can and train as hard as we can and leave it up to the coaches.

“I like to think I'm quite versatile and can play at a high level across the back row which can hopefully offer something different to this team. I pride myself on my effort and work rate, but all the other guys are incredible there as well so it is up to the coaches to decide if and where they use me.”

Andy Christie has been a consistent performer for Saracens this season, playing 13 games in a row. (Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images)

Christie’s four previous caps have all come as a replacement and three of them were won against Argentina. His only taste of the Six Nations was his debut when he came on for Nick Haining early in the second half of the 36-17 defeat by France at Murrayfield in 2022. While his involvement may have been peripheral until now, his progress has been carefully monitored by the Scotland coaching team.

“Gregor will probably tell you I've been on his radar for a long time,” he says. “I played Scotland Under-16s and since that day I've obviously felt a connection. My mum's side of the family are Scottish [his grandmother was born in Glasgow] and they've always told me they wanted me to play for Scotland. My dad's Nigerian so probably not too fussed! But it is a dream come true whenever I’ve had the opportunity to play for Scotland.

“I grew up in Bristol but I moved to London to go to boarding school at Harrow School for sixth form and then I joined Saracens, but I'm not that posh!”

After playing for Scotland U16 he was then picked for England at U18 and U20 level. “The decision kind of gets taken out of your hands when you are in the academy because clubs get paid for producing players,” he explained. “I signed my first contract at 18 and I was just asked ‘are you going to play England U18s?’ You're not going to say no. It was the same with the under-20s. They just say ‘you are going to be involved with the England Under-20s’.”

Andy Christie during a Scotland training session at Oriam, in Edinburgh, where the squad were preparing for the Six Nations opener against Wales. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Christie is not alone. From Townsend’s Six Nations squad, Bayliss, Alec Hepburn, Sam Skinner, Cam Redpath, Arron Reed and Ben White also all played for England at under-20 level. Hepburn, the Exeter Chiefs prop who has been called up for the first time, went on to win six full England caps but is able to now join Scotland because of the eligibility law that allows a player to switch if he has not made a Test appearance for three years and has a credible link to the new country, which Hepburn has through his Scottish-born father.

Townsend is casting his net wide, mainly due to the lack of good young players coming through the Scottish system, but he has handed a call-up to Harry Paterson, the talented full-back who has done well for Edinburgh this season. Paterson, 22, is a local boy who has played just eight times for the capital club but the coach feels he is ready to step into the Test environment.

Christie, meanwhile, will be looking to start against Wales after a strong first half of the season with Saracens. “This is probably as consistent as I have been,” he said. “I think I’ve played 13 games in a row, so I've been lucky with that. Other guys around me have been unfortunate, so I've just been trying to take my opportunity.”

Scotland must try to do likewise in Cardiff.