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Bath tackle a 'few red flags' waved after Underhill skips comeback
By Liam Heagney
Bath boss Stuart Hooper has insisted that Sam Underhill hasn’t suffered a fresh concussion setback and that his late withdrawal from last Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership win away to Newcastle was due to illness and nothing else. The England back-rower had been unavailable for selection since suffering his latest head knock in the January 22 Heineken Champions Cup defeat to Leinster.
That injury ruled him out of selection by Eddie Jones for the Six Nations and it was only last weekend following a five-week layoff that he was considered for Bath selection. However, having been named on the bench on Friday lunchtime, Underhill was missing when the game went ahead the following day at Kingston Park after he wound up not travelling.
This eleventh-hour absence would have opened the door to speculation that the flanker might have encountered an issue with his concussion recovery, but Bath director Hooper was adamant that wasn’t the case and that Underhill is fighting hard for selection in this Saturday’s derby game at home to Bristol.
“He is absolutely fine,” said Hooper about a forward that England have missed in recent weeks after Underhill had been an ever-present as their starting openside in the three-game Autumn Nations Series.
“He was just sick for a couple of days. It is just one of those decisions that we made based on his fitness. Obviously the concussion against Leinster, he was fine afterwards but we treat it in the right way.
“He was then going to go and see the specialist but he then had covid and that was back when you still had to isolate. Then he is inside for ten days and we go from there. I can see from the outside him not being involved against Newcastle would probably wave a few red flags but I can promise you he is absolutely fine, he is raring to go.”
Hooper added that Underhill, whose comeback against Leinster lasted just 15 minutes following a Boxing Day head knock versus Gloucester, is the type of character to quickly overcome the disappointment of injury and illness.
“For sure, he is absolutely someone who can do that, he can compartmentalise the different parts. He knew the concussion was a setback, yes, but he dealt with that in the same way that he deals with the covid and the sickness. He is good and he has been training today [Tuesday].”
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It certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
Go to commentsHis best years were 2018 and he wasn't good enough to win the World Cup in 2023! (Although he was voted as the best player in the world in 2023)
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