England's 'Kamikaze kid' extends Bath stay
NEWS: England loose forward Sam Underhill has signed a new deal with the Premiership side Bath.
The 2019 World Cup star Underhill, along with Jack Walker and Max Wright have all committed their futures to Bath Rugby, putting pen to paper on new three-year contract extensions.
Director of Rugby, Stuart Hooper said: “These three young men committing their futures to the Club is a huge statement of intent. They are all English qualified and determined to succeed in Bath colours.
“Sam has developed with us and gone on to become one of the best Flankers in the world, getting to a World Cup final and performing. Combine that with the attributes, attitudes and behaviours of Jack Walker and Max Wright, and it is these types of players and these types of commitments that will allow us to become the team that we know we are capable of being.”
Underhill has established himself as a powerful and destructive forward, his impacts within key moments of the game having a huge influence on momentum, even on the world stage with England.
The 23-year-old’s qualities both in attack and defence have influenced performances during his time with the Blue, Black and White. Underhill has portrayed his raw ability at the breakdown, allowing for quick ball and the ability for Bath Rugby to develop their attacking game. His ongoing contributions will be fundamental to the way the Club develop its game.
Underhill expressed his feelings on extending his stay at the Club, adding: “I am delighted to have re-signed with the Club. I am excited for my future with Bath Rugby. It’s a Club that has a lot of potential. It has been a new set up this year, and I have been impressed by how everything is gelling together.
“We have a very young squad with huge potential, and we have a long way to go but that is something to look forward to and I very much want to be a part of it. We have a young pack and some really promising youngsters coming through the pathway and added to that a bit of experience and I think it’s an exciting blend in the squad.”
Jack Walker captained Bath on two occasions in the Premiership Rugby Cup earlier in the season with a strong contribution to the outcome of securing 51 out of 53 line-outs in the four fixtures.
A strong leader and communicator, Walker has traditionally influenced the game through his attacking qualities as a ball carrier. His ongoing impact in defence this season to date is something that’s developed, alongside his role within the set-piece in what is becoming a young and dominant pack of forwards in the Premiership.
Walker explained the reasons behind him committing his future to Bath Rugby; “We not only have excellent coaches here at the Club but also world class rugby staff who work tirelessly to make sure that every minute we train is developing our game and our ability to perform to our very best.
“We have a great bunch of young lads who are hungry to get better and win things mixed in with established and experienced players. We all have one thing in common which is that we believe in the Club’s ambition to go on and challenge for silverware. It is fantastic place to go every day and call work, filled with brilliant people who want the best for the Club and the City.”
Max Wright has displayed his value over the course of the past 18 months after making his breakthrough in 2018/19, making his Gallagher Premiership and Heineken Champions Cup debuts.
A former U20 World Cup winner with England, the versatile midfield player has shown his ability to have game-breaking moments, with his work-rate and capacity to influence the team’s performance both with and without the ball really standing out in the Premiership.
Wright said: “I have been really well supported and feel like I have developed a lot since arriving here in 2017. I feel like I can push on with a Bath in the next few years, and that my impact can continue to grow within the squad at the same time as our performances as a group continue to improve. I want to be a part of the future here and the success I feel we can all achieve together.
“I also have some really strong relationships and friendships here at Bath, both new and old and it means such a huge amount to me to have such strong unwavering support.”
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