Get to know the USA-born flanker who has studied politics and economics
Who is Sam Underhill: Ten things you should know about the England back-row
Sam Underhill is very self-deprecating when talking about his ball skills but one thing the flanker is renowned for is his hard-hitting tackles.
Ten things you should know about Sam Underhill
1. Sam Underhill was born on 22 July 1996 in Ohio, America. He stands at 6ft 1 (1.86m) and weighs 16st 3lb (103kg).
2. He joined Bath in 2017 but has previously played for Gloucester and the Ospreys.
3. Underhill was born in the USA as his father was stationed there with the RAF but he moved to Gloucester when he was ten. He qualifies to play for England through his parents, who are both English.
4. He played for England’s age-grade teams before winning his first Test cap against Argentina in 2017.
5. Underhill was part of the England squad who lost 32-12 to South Africa in the 2019 Rugby World Cup final.
He and Tom Curry were described as the ‘Kamikaze Kids’ at that tournament for their performances on the flanks.
6. Underhill has spoken highly about England coach Eddie Jones. He told the i: “I can only speak for myself as a player, and on the whole, I have a massive amount of respect for him, as a coach.
“You want to be playing your best rugby and I think I have played my best rugby here. I have played in brilliant games here that I will remember, always. For me, there is a massive value in that. That is the way I’d summarise it, I think.”
7. He worked as a decorator for his grandfather, Brian, when he was a child.
8. Underhill has described former Bath team-mate Zach Mercer as his best mate.
9. He has been with his girlfriend, Josie, since 2017 and the couple announced their engagement in 2021.
10. He studied economics for two years in Cardiff while playing for the Ospreys, then switched to a politics and economics course at at the University of Bath when he moved clubs.
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