England’s forgotten superstar set for return after latest injury setback
Given the terrible run of injuries he has had since the 2019 World Cup, Bath flanker Sam Underhill has become the forgotten man of English rugby. This is despite the team playing some of their best ever rugby with 26-year-old taking centre stage.
The loose forward earned the last of his 29 England caps in the 2022 July series against Australia, which was only one of two caps in 2022, with a string of injuries curtailing his international progress. Head injuries have been a particular problem, which is maybe understandable given his tackling style and ferocity, and that was the case again recently against Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher Premiership.
Underhill left the field with another head injury at the beginning of March during Bath’s loss to the reigning champions, but is set to make his return tomorrow in the West Country Derby against Gloucester at Kingsholm.
Given how successful he has been with England, particularly his partnership with Tom Curry either side of the scrum, Steve Borthwick will be keeping a keen eye on the flanker with the World Cup later this year, and his campaign to work his way back into the Test set up will start tomorrow.
Gloucester XV
15. Santi Carreras
14. Louis Rees-Zammi*
13. Chris Harris
12. Seb Atkinson
11. Ollie Thorley*
10 Billy Twelvetrees
9. Stephen Varney*
1. Mayco Vivas
2. Seb Blake*
3. Jamal Ford-Robinson
4. Freddie Clarke*
5. Matias Alemanno
6. Jack Clement*
7. Lewis Ludlow* (c)
8. Ben Morgan
Replacements
16. Henry Walker*
17. Harry Elrington
18. Ciaran Knight*
19. Cam Jordan*
20. Freddie Thomas*
21. Charlie Chapman*
22. George Barton*
23. Jonny May*
*Denotes academy graduate.
Bath XV
15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Matt Gallagher, 10 Orlando Bailey, 9 Ben Spencer ©; 1 Beno Obano, 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Will Stuart, 4 Josh McNally, 5 GJ van Velze, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Chris Cloete, 8 Miles Reid
Impact players: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Valeriy Morozov, 18 D’Arcy Rae, 19 Fergus Lee-Warner, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Max Green, 22 Piers Francis, 23 Josh Bayliss
