Sam Underhill is always monumental – Steve Borthwick should never have dropped him
“Sam Underhill is inevitable” read the caption above a video posted on X on Saturday night of the England flanker bulldozing his way over the try-line midway through the first half of his team’s 20-29 defeat by South Africa.
Admittedly, the video in question was posted by Bath Rugby, who might be expected to be a bit biased; Underhill being their player.
But really, the sentiment is one which must be shared by all England fans tonight.
Underhill is, inevitably, very good whenever he gets the chance to perform for England. Which only makes it all the more baffling that he was left out of England’s first two matches of the autumn.
Sam Underhill is 𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 💥
pic.twitter.com/GLF942nkkY— Bath Rugby (@BathRugby) November 16, 2024
In the inquest which is now ongoing into Steve Borthwick’s England in the wake of five successive defeats, the decision to disregard Underhill for the games against New Zealand and Australia must surely be near the top of the chargesheet against him.
It was no surprise the 28-year-old was England’s best performer in this entertaining, hot mess of a match.
He very often is. In his 66 minutes on the pitch, Underhill produced 11 tackles and one turnover, as well as the aforementioned try, when he ran a clever line between their big men, taking Bongi Mbonambi and Ox Nche with him.
One can only assume Underhill was out on his feet when he went off as he should never have been subbed. Things went south for England thereafter.
The amazing thing is Underhill was only playing in the first place because of a concussion suffered by Tom Curry. Had Curry been fit, there is every chance he would have been left out of the squad altogether once again.
Borthwick surprisingly preferred Alex Dombrandt and Ben Curry as impact players against New Zealand and Australia.
Underhill certainly showed England fans what they had been missing in an all-action first half hour, posing a constant threat at the breakdown, and hitting everything in his path like a hurricane.
England have not been short of big hitters this autumn – George Martin, Chandler Cunningham-South, Maro Itoje et al – but there is something about the way Underhill tackles.
He deserved his try too. Not a regular try scorer – this was only Underhill’s second for his country since his debut back in 2017 – one thinks of that time he turned Beauden Barrett inside out at Twickenham six years ago only for his late effort to be cruelly chalked off after Courtney Lawes was ruled to have been offside when he charged down a kick. It is not often you see the two-time World Rugby player of the year made to look clumsy, but Underhill did it to him.
The way he reacted to that disappointment – the then 22-year-old’s effort came five minutes from time in a match England eventually lost 15-16 – marked out a mature character. “If the referee says the grass is pink, then the grass is pink,” Underhill shrugged when asked whether he thought it ought to have been disallowed. It was the sort of no-nonsense response one has come to expect of him.
Underhill does not tend to press his claims overly. But if there is one lesson to be learnt from England’s latest defeat it is that his should be the first name on the teamsheet next weekend.