‘Test match animal’ Underhill ready for Rugby World Cup, says Sinfield
England defence coach Kevin Sinfield has described Sam Underhill as a “Test match animal” after the flanker was added to the national squad ahead of their Rugby World Cup quarter-final this weekend.
The back-row has 27 England caps and joins the set-up in place of Jack Willis, who has left France injured.
England already qualified for the knockouts before Saturday’s 18-17 win over Samoa but were left reeling after the Pacific island came within metres of pulling off a huge upset.
Outstanding Underhill
England will take on Fiji or Australia this weekend in the last eight before facing either South Africa or France in the semi-finals.
“Sam was outstanding this summer,” said defence coach Sinfield on Underhill’s call up.
“He trained the house down and we have followed him closely and kept in touch.
“He is a Test match animal, a fantastic player and it shows some of the quality we have back in England.
“There are some small differences between him and Jack but many similarities and he is a great character as well – he knows what it is like to play well at World Cups.”
The inclusion of Underhill rules him out of the beginning of Bath’s Premiership season, which starts on Saturday at home to Newcastle Falcons, and sees the flanker picked over the likes of Tom Pearson, Alex Dombrandt and Zach Mercer, who were all in the initial training camp before the World Cup.
Underhill could be in contention to play this weekend, Sinfield added.
Elsewhere both Manu Tuilagi and Jamie George picked up knocks on Saturday versus Samoa but are both expected to be fit for this weekend’s quarter-final.