Sam Underhill Explained

Sam Underhill
Fullname:Samuel Gregory Underhill
Birth Date:22 July 1996
Birth Place:Dayton, Ohio, United States
Height:1.860NaN0[1]
Weight:1060NaN0
School:Sir Thomas Rich's School
University:University of Swansea
University of Bath
Position:Flanker
Currentclub:Bath
Years1:2014–2015
Clubs1:Gloucester
Apps1:2
Points1:0
Years2:2015–2017
Clubs2:Ospreys
Apps2:37
Points2:20
Years3:2017–
Clubs3:Bath
Apps3:105
Points3:85
Repyears1:2014
Repteam1:England U18
Repcaps1:9
Reppoints1:10
Repyears2:2017–
Repteam2:England
Repcaps2:45
Reppoints2:25
Clubupdate:25 May 2025
Repupdate:15 November 2025
Clubs4:Cinderford (loan)
Years4:2016
Apps4:20
Points4:35

Samuel Gregory Underhill (born 22 July 1996) is an professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Premiership Rugby club Bath. Born in United States, he represents England national team.

Early life

Underhill was born in the United States when his father served overseas in the Royal Air Force, he moved back to England aged one. He was brought up in Peterborough and then moved to Gloucestershire where he played for Sir Thomas Rich's School, Longlevens RFC and Gloucester Academy.[2]

Club career

Aged just 17, Underhill made his debut for Gloucester in the Anglo-Welsh Cup,[3] before making his Premiership debut at the age of 18.[3]

At the beginning of the 2015–16 season, Underhill joined Welsh Pro12 team Ospreys.[3] He made his debut against Ulster and was man of the match in his first start for the team, against Munster.[3] His last game for the region was during their defeat in the semi-final of the 2016–17 Pro12.[4]

On 11 January 2017, it was confirmed that Underhill would join English side Bath for the 2017–18 season.[5] He started in the 2024 Premiership final which they lost against Northampton Saints to finish runners up.[6]

In April 2025, his try helped Bath to secure a first place finish in the regular season for the first time since the 2003–04 season during a 55–19 against Newcastle Falcons.[7] The following month, Underhill started in the 2024–25 EPCR Challenge Cup final as Bath beat Lyon at the Millennium Stadium to win their first European trophy for seventeen years.[8] However, he received a month long ban for a tackle during the match against Lyon ruling him out of the 2025 Premiership final which saw Bath defeat Leicester Tigers to become champions of England for the first time since 1996.[9] [10]

International career

Underhill captained England U18 during their successful 2014 FIRA tournament and played nine times during an unbeaten season, including scoring a try on debut in a player of the match performance against Scotland, captaining the team to a win in the FIRA tournament and a win against South Africa.[3]

Underhill was called up to the senior England squad by coach Eddie Jones for their 2017 summer tour of Argentina.[11] On 17 June 2017 he made his international debut starting in the last test of the tour as England defeated Argentina to win the series 2–0.[12] [13]

On 12 August 2019, Underhill was named in Eddie Jones' 31-man squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.[14] He was one of the stars of the semi-final victory over New Zealand, helping England to reach their first World Cup final since 2007.[3] [15] Underhill started in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final in which England were defeated by South Africa to finish runners up.[16]

Underhill was a member of the squad that won the 2020 Six Nations Championship and later that year he started for the England side that defeated France after extra-time to win the Autumn Nations Cup.[17] [18] On 4 July 2021, Underhill scored his first try at international level in a game against the nation of his birth the United States.[19] He was a member of their 2022 tour of Australia and started in the second test victory at Lang Park as England ultimately won the series 2–1.[20]

Underhill was not initially included in the squad for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[21] However, he was called up after Jack Willis was injured during the pool stage.[22] Underhill made his only appearance of the tournament in their last fixture starting in the victory over Argentina as England finished third with the Bronze medal.[23]

Career statistics

List of international tries

[24] |-|style="text-align:center;"|1|4 July 2021|Twickenham Stadium, London, England||style="text-align:center;"|5–3||2021 July rugby union tests|style="text-align:center;"|[19] |-|style="text-align:center;"|2|22 June 2024|Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan||style="text-align:center;"|50–17||2024 tour of Japan|style="text-align:center;"|[25] |-|style="text-align:center;"|3|16 November 2024|Twickenham Stadium, London, England||style="text-align:center;"|15–19||2024 Autumn Internationals|style="text-align:center;"|[26] |-|style="text-align:center;"|4|24 November 2024|Twickenham Stadium, London, England||style="text-align:center;"|12–0||2024 Autumn Internationals|style="text-align:center;"|[27] |}

Honours

England
Bath

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Club profile. Bath Rugby. 27 September 2019.
  2. News: Sam Underhill: 'There's no way of defending that is not physical'. Robert. Kitson. The Guardian. 27 November 2020. 24 July 2025.
  3. News: Sam Underhill’s journey from Gloucester schoolboy to Rugby World Cup finalist with England. Robert. Iles. Gloucestershire Live. 1 November 2019. 7 October 2021.
  4. News: Pro12 semi-final: Munster 23-3 Ospreys. BBC Sport. 20 May 2017. 24 July 2025.
  5. News: Bath agree deal to sign Osprey openside flanker Sam Underhill. BBC Sport. 11 January 2017. 5 March 2017.
  6. News: Northampton hold off 14-man Bath in Premiership final. Sophie. Hurcom. BBC Sport. 8 June 2024. 24 July 2025.
  7. News: Bath thump Newcastle to seal top spot and home semi. BBC Sport. 26 April 2025. 27 April 2025.
  8. News: Bath overpower Lyon to win European Challenge Cup. Sophie. Hurcom. BBC Sport. 23 May 2025. 24 July 2025.
  9. News: Underhill to miss rest of Bath's season with ban. Sophie. Hurcom. BBC Sport. 28 May 2025. 24 July 2025.
  10. News: Bath end 29-year wait for Premiership title. Sophie. Hurcom. BBC Sport. 14 June 2025. 24 July 2025.
  11. News: England v Argentina: Dylan Hartley, Joe Launchbury & George Ford in squad. BBC Sport. 20 April 2017. 20 April 2017.
  12. News: Sam Underhill to make England debut in Argentina as Chris Robshaw returns. Michael. Aylwin. The Guardian. 15 June 2017. 12 May 2022.
  13. News: Will Collier try seals second Test and series win for England in Argentina. Michael. Aylwin. The Guardian. 17 June 2017. 12 May 2022.
  14. News: England Rugby World Cup squad announcement LIVE - Latest news and updates. Jack. de Menezes. The Independent. 12 August 2019. 29 July 2021.
  15. News: England 19-7 New Zealand: Eddie Jones' side beat All Blacks to reach World Cup final. Tom. Fordyce. BBC Sport. 26 October 2019. 12 May 2022.
  16. News: England 12-32 South Africa: Springboks win World Cup for record-equalling third time. Tom. Fordyce. BBC Sport. 2 November 2019. 12 May 2022.
  17. News: Italy 5-34 England: Visitors' victory proves enough to win Six Nations title. Becky. Grey. BBC Sport. 31 October 2020. 12 May 2022.
  18. News: Autumn Nations Cup: England beat France in sudden death. Mike. Henson. BBC Sport. 6 December 2020. 12 May 2022.
  19. News: England 43-29 United States. Becky. Grey. BBC Sport. 4 July 2021. 12 May 2022.
  20. News: Australia 17-25 England: Eddie Jones' side win second Test to level series. BBC Sport. 9 July 2022. 24 July 2025.
  21. News: Sam Underhill omitted from England training squad ahead of Rugby World Cup. Sky Sports. 17 July 2023. 24 July 2025.
  22. News: Rugby World Cup: Sam Underhill replaces injured Jack Willis in England squad. BBC Sport. 8 October 2023. 24 July 2025.
  23. News: Argentina 23-26 England: England overcome Pumas to win Rugby World Cup bronze-medal match. Mike. Henson. BBC Sport. 27 October 2023. 24 July 2025.
  24. Web site: ESPN profile:Sam Underhill. ESPN Scrum. 16 November 2021.
  25. News: Smith stars as England cruise past Japan in Tokyo. Mantej. Mann. BBC Sport. 22 June 2024. 24 July 2025.
  26. News: South Africa grind out victory over England. Mike. Henson. BBC Sport. 16 November 2024. 24 July 2025.
  27. News: England hammer Japan to finish autumn on a high. Alastair. Telfer. BBC Sport. 24 November 2024. 24 July 2025.