Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England back-row Sam Underhill on French giant's Christmas wishlist

Sam Underhill of England is helped off the field by medics after suffering a leginjury during the Autumn Nations Series 2024 match between England and Japan at Allianz Stadium on November 24, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Patrick Khachfe/Getty Images)

Former Champions Cup winners La Rochelle have put England back row Sam Underhill on their shopping list for next season despite him having another left to run on his contract with Premiership title chasers Bath.

ADVERTISEMENT

Blindside flanker Underhill, 28, who started his career at Gloucester, making his debut in the Premiership Cup as an 18-year-old, has made 95 appearances for Johann van Graan’s outfit after joining from the Ospreys in 2017.

Underhill, who has won 41 England caps and scored two tries against South Africa and Japan during the autumn international series, wasn’t among the 17 players Steve Borthwick awarded an RFU hybrid contract.

Video Spacer

Jake White explains his Moodie comments

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 2:39
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 2:39
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Jake White explains his Moodie comments

    But a move to the side who are sixth in the Top 14 table this season with six wins and five defeats would spell the end of his international career if he makes the unlikely switch across the channel.

    A member of Eddie Jones’ England side that were runners-up in the 2019 Rugby World Cup, he was born in the United States when his father was serving overseas in the Royal Air Force before moving back to the United Kingdom when he was a year old.

    He played all eight of England’s internationals in 2024 before being dropped for the first game against the All Blacks after his early season appearances were restricted following his recovery from an ankle operation during the summer.

    Underhill (6’1, 110kg) only agreed on a new deal to remain with Bath until the summer of 2026, just weeks before Northampton Saints defeated them in the Twickenham showpiece, which is likely to be enough to keep him out of French clutches.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    But he ironically missed Bath’s 24-20 Champions Cup loss to Ronan O’Gara’s side at The Rec last Friday with an ankle injury that he suffered scoring a try against Japan in their final autumn international last month.

    Related

    Top 100

    Rugby’s best of the best, ranked by experts. Check out our list of the Top 100 Men's Rugby Players and let us know what you think! 



    ADVERTISEMENT

    Boks Office | Episode 37 | Six Nations Round 4 Review

    Cape Town | Leg 2 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series 2025 | Full Day Replay

    Gloucester-Hartpury vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

    Boks Office | Episode 36 | Six Nations Round 3 Review

    Why did Scotland's Finn Russell take the crucial kick from the wrong place? | Whistle Watch

    England A vs Ireland A | Full Match Replay

    Kubota Spears vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | JRLO 2024/2025 | Full Match Replay

    Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    1 Comment
    c
    ch 107 days ago

    Sam Underhill is an openside flanker not a blindside.

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    E
    EllenMoody 5 hours ago
    Great moments in Lions tour history – JPR’s drop goal and the All Blacks' brutal revenge

    A Crypto Theft Victim's Journey: How Morphohack Cyber Service Restored My Assets

    By: Ellen Moody, Crypto Investor and Advocate

    I was left reeling after discovering that my digital wallet had been compromised, resulting in the loss of 39.5 Ethereum. This devastating experience left me desperate for a solution. I reached out to Morphohack Cyber Service. Their team responded with exceptional professionalism and expertise, promptly launching a comprehensive analysis of the blockchain network to track the stolen funds.

    Their specialists employed cutting-edge blockchain analytics tools to follow the digital footprint, providing detailed explanations of their methods. It was evident that they possessed a profound understanding of hacker strategies and vulnerabilities. Despite encountering obstacles, they persevered, meticulously tracking the ETH as it navigated various wallets and tumblers.

    Throughout the process, Morphohack Cyber Service maintained seamless communication, providing regular updates on the case. Ultimately, their efforts culminated in the successful recovery of 37 ETH, seized from the wallets holding my stolen assets.

    I’m profoundly grateful for Morphohack Cyber Service expertise and genuine commitment to helping victims of crypto theft. Their specialized knowledge of blockchain forensics is unmatched. I highly recommend their services to anyone facing a similar situation. In the complex world of crypto, they are truly a trusted ally.

    Need Help Recovering Stolen Crypto? Contact Morphohack Cyber Service:

    Email: Morphohack@cyberservices.com

    Info@morphohackcyber.com

    Morphohackcyber.com

    1 Go to comments
    J
    JWH 6 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Do you hear yourself? Do you have any concept of world view? Have you tried looking into why people call Ireland ‘arrogant’? Obviously not.


    We started calling you arrogant when you called our captain a ‘shit Richie McCaw’. In New Zealand. On our turf. Don’t think that kind of behaviour really calls for respect, does it.


    NZ don’t really talk ourselves up, if anything the rugby does it for us. No kiwi goes in the media and says: ‘We are gonna win the RWC’. However, I have found many instance of IRISH media saying that the Irish should win, without a doubt. THAT is disrespectful.


    The All Blacks have played good rugby, even some of the best rugby ever, at many points in history, but I don’t think you could find a single instance of one of those players, or the NZ media, saying that they should whitewash their opponents. Ever.


    Now, onto your analysis. Ireland DID choke the QF. They beat the champions, they were ranked first coming into it, a lot of players at the peaks of their powers. Its hard to say that they didn’t choke. Obviously, their preparation was just not as good as NZ, and thats all there really is to it.


    If Ireland had repsected that ABs team and that QF more, maybe they would’ve prepared properly for it and won. But they didn’t.


    Maybe if Ireland had won their QF last RWC, they wouldn’t have to be in the same pool as SA and Scotland. I mean, its called a draw for a reason. NZ got third last RWC, so of course they should get a reasonable pool, and they were ranked pretty highly too. If you want to talk about easy pools, look no further than Pool 3 with England, Australia, Fiji, and Georgia I think?


    Now, obviously you don’t remember how that QF ended, so I’ll go ahead and rectify that. Ireland reclaimed the ball off kickoff and marched for 20ish phases into the opposition half. Savea then won a turnover, but the referee refused to give it, so play went on. Finally, at the NZ 22, after not giving up a single penatly in 25 phases of hard defense, Sam Whitelock, the most capped All Black of all time, wins the game with an incredible steal.


    Now, NZ players having a go at Ireland. Do you cry when you get hit after making the first swing? We all know Sexton is a prick on the field, its just the truth. And Ioane never backs down from a clash, so he thought he should humble a player who has never won an international knockout game who thought he was all that. Don’t really see the issue, its poetic justice really.

    83 Go to comments
    TRENDING
    TRENDING Departing Quins boss Billy Millard in talks over huge Test job Departing Quins boss Billy Millard in talks over huge Test job
    Search