Saracens confirm surgery for England star but Vunipola offers hope

Saracens boss Mark McCall wants England’s Elliot Daly and Andy Onyeama-Christie, the Scotland forward, to take inspiration from Billy Vunipola, who has bounced back from repeated broken arms to continue his barnstorming career, which now sees him captaining Montpellier in the Top 14.

Both Daly and Onyeama-Christie have broken their arms again – the third time for Onyeama-Christie and second for Daly – which has ruled them both out for the rest of the season and cast doubts over their availability for international duty in the Nations Cup competition this summer.

Daly, 33, who recently agreed a new deal to stay with Saracens until the end of the 2027-28 campaign, has broken the same arm in the space of 10 months and will have surgery next week. Onyeama-Christie, 27, has been hit even harder by serious injuries, having twice previously broken his arm and also fracturing and dislocating his ankle.

Vunipola broke his arm three times in a year during his trophy-laden career with Saracens before heading to France and a new challenge with Montpellier. This season, he has captained the French club and was in outstanding form as Montpellier reached the European Challenge Cup semi-finals with a victory at home to Connacht.

McCall has been impressed with the form Vunipola has been delivering for Montpellier, who struggled last season but have turned things around so successfully that they are currently fifth in the Top 14 and just two points behind second-placed Pau.

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McCall , whose Saracens side travel to Sale in the Gallagher PREM on Sunday, said: “You have to deal with psychological as well as the physical side of coming back from these injuries and they can take inspiration from Billy from the fact he bounced back and was man of the match for Montpellier against Connacht at the weekend. That will be a positive story, and for Andy there is no reason why he cannot go on and play fully after a third surgery. Elliot will have surgery in a week’s time on the same arm.

“Andy, like Elliot, has had a refracture and has already undergone the surgery and had a plate put in the arm. Andy also had that horrific leg injury and has had a lot of time off, but is still a young player.”