Sam Underhill clutches Northampton scrum-half Alex Mitchell Photo: PA/David Davies
One of the problems with becoming a regular player England team is that people tend to crane their necks and look past you towards the next shiny thing. Forget about incumbents and proven operators: it's much more interesting to think about what someone else could do.
Even in defeat, Sam Underhill's fierce performance in Bath's match against Northampton Saints was a reminder for those who needed it. the enduring class of open-side flanker. He personified the fierce defiance of his club, which was so close to a huge victory after Beno Obano's red card.
To cope without a starting prop and continue to challenge for an hour with 14 players, Bath first needed to strengthen their standard set-piece. They did this by sacrificing Alfie Barberi to immediately bring in Juan Schumann. Then, against a fearless Saints attacking side, they needed a combination of mobility and stopping power in defense to stem the pace of Northampton's phase play.
If you want the latter, Underhill will probably be one of the first players on the planet you turn to. Sometimes gear counts don't tell the whole story because quality can be more important than quantity. Underhill had 13 points, according to Stats Perform's first count. Only Thomas du Toit recorded more in the entire game. Most of Underhill's tackles were stunning interventions that stopped the Saints' momentum.
In the 13th minute, before Obano was sent off, Alex Mitchell followed the movement of the back line and collected George Furbank's pass. Just as the scrum-half seemed to have the light on, Underhill appeared on the scene and dropped the ball off his England counterpart. Three phases later, Bath turned and pulled away.
Mitchell just got razed by Sam Underhill's special 💥 pic.twitter.com/XVB6O6Dplm
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) June 8, 2024
On the cusp of half-time, with Northampton looking for a try that would have given them a 10-point lead, Underhill threw his body into a desperate stand that was ultimately awarded a penalty. Four minutes into the second period, Saints fired Burger Odendaal towards Finn Russell. Underhill crossed the strait and shot down his target. Odendaal had to withdraw with a knee injury.
When Northampton finally scored their third try, thanks to a confused run from George Hendy and more instinctive play in support from Mitchell, Underhill left the field. After being evaluated for a head injury, he returned to action with the Saints leading 25-21.
These days, classifying the Underhill as simply a defensive destroyer is primitive. In the 55th minute, from a lineout that might have been awkward for Bath, he ran off his try line and fired past Curtis Langdon. After being left out of the World Cup starting line-up last year — a decision that stunned her peers — the 27-year-old appears to have expanded her options, which Courtney Laws has done superbly.
After a phenomenal performance in the third-place play-off against Argentina in that tournament, which he entered through injury, Underhill showed his resourcefulness during the Six Nations. In the narrow win over Wales, with England down to 13, he scored Ben Earl's crucial try. Against Ireland, he passed Maro Itoje in the build-up to Furbank's goal (see video below). Later, Underhill took off and collected a lineout with his left hand. Overall, his jackaling also seems more menacing.
Oh, that's clever! 😮💨
England in best form in the Six Nations — Firbank in the corner, GAME ON!#ITVRugby | #GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/oPcCtSDPbm
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) March 9, 2024
Nearly a decade since England were derided for their lack of classic open-side flankers, they have a surplus. Ben and Tom Curry were in training camp this week, pushing Guy Pepper out of the mix. Will Evans never took a sniff and Jack Willis remains ineligible despite his heroics for Toulouse. And that's all before you think Earl might go back to seven from eight.
There are plenty of options, and there's understandable curiosity about releasing rookies like Chandler Cunningham-South elsewhere in the back row. And yet, as he watched this weekend, Steve Borthwick was extremely happy to rely on Underhill to take on Japan and New Zealand this summer.
As for the other England candidates, Ben Spencer oozed class. His cross-kick for Will Muir's try brought to mind Antoine Dupont, which is the greatest compliment one can pay a scrum-half. Tommy Freeman, brilliant in the air and astute in defense, scored Northampton's first try and was destined for many more matches. Furbank's poise as a point guard was highlighted once again.
For those interested in potential runners, Hendy is believed to have a suitor in the England squad. A jumping runner, he offers something different and stripped Orlando Bailey to seal it. But Underhill has gone from brilliant creature to champion and this thrilling Premier League decider showed why.
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