Saracens 'got what we deserved last season'

Andy Onyeama-Christie was limited to 12 appearances for Saracens last season

Saracens flanker Andy Onyeama-Christie says the club didn't deserve to make the play-offs last season but are feeling confident ahead of the new Prem Rugby campaign.

Sarries took their challenge to the final day of the season but missed out on a semi-final spot by two points.

Apart from the 2019-20 season, when the club were relegated for salary cap breaches, it was the first year the Men in Black had failed to finish in the top four and have a tilt at the title since 2008-09.

Scotland international Onyeama-Christie, 26, was limited to 12 appearances for the club last season after suffering a serious ankle injury in October.

Speaking to BBC Radio London, he said there was confidence in the group that they would improve on their sixth-placed finish.

"We probably got what we deserved last season. We weren't the team we wanted to be and there's a lot of promising signs so far," he said.

"It takes a few games to properly know where you're at. But I think I've probably done enough of these [pre-seasons] to acknowledge that we're looking good and feeling confident."

'Not quite right without Farrell and Malins'

Owen Farrell won 10 trophies in 16 years with Saracens, including six league titles, before joining Racing '92 last year

After last summer's exodus which saw high-profile players such as Billy and Mako Vunipola and Owen Farrell leave the club, this off-season has had a more familiar feel with the return of former captain Farrell, wing Max Malins and Alex Goode back at StoneX Stadium as part of Mark McCall's coaching set-up.

"It is [special]. Goodey, he's probably been at the club for as long as I've been alive at this point," added Onyeama-Christie.

"And Faz coming back, he's brought some real fresh energy. Obviously Max as well, everybody knows how good a rugby player he is.

"It's exciting. They're guys who know the place; it probably didn't feel quite right not having them here the last couple of years. So it's nice to have them back and it just feels like they've picked up where they left off."

Saracens began the new season with defeat at Leicester Tigers in the Prem Rugby Cup.

They begin the league season away to the newly rebranded Newcastle Red Bulls on Friday, 26 September.