Star flanker ruled out for England

INJURY UPDATE: England flanker Sam Underhill is set to miss the whole of the upcoming Six Nations after his club, Bath, announced on Friday he requires an ankle operation.

Underhill suffered the injury after coming on as a replacement during Sunday’s 34-35 defeat by Premiership champions Northampton.

And with no date given for his return, he could be ruled out of the entire Six Nations.

“Sam will undergo surgery to rectify a new ankle injury,” said a Bath medical update.

“There is no set timeframe on his recovery.

England have plenty of loose forward depth but Underhill’s absence is still a setback for head coach Steve Borthwick.

Underhill, overlooked for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, revived his Test career last year by starting throughout the Six Nations and in all three Tests on the subsequent tour of Japan and New Zealand.

An ankle injury on tour led to surgery, delaying his start to the new season, with Underhill missing the opening two November internationals against New Zealand and Australia.

But the 28-year-old returned at openside for Tests against South Africa and Japan with which England ended 2024, scoring a try in each game and starring in open play.

Underhill, a veteran of 40 England caps, is renowned as one of the most fearsome tacklers of his generation.

He joins a growing England injury list, with wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso in danger of missing the whole Six Nations because of a dislocated shoulder, while full-back George Furbank is struggling with a broken arm.

Flanker Ollie Chessum is nearing a comeback from a knee injury and scrumhalf Alex Mitchell has fully recovered from a neck problem.

Borthwick names his Six Nations squad on Tuesday ahead of a tough opener at champions Ireland in Dublin on February 1.