Sam Underhill to miss England Tests due to bicep injury

England and Bath flanker Sam Underhill will miss the upcoming Nations Championship Tests due to a ruptured bicep. The injury occurred during Bath’s opening Premiership match against Harlequins.

Bath head of rugby Johann van Graan confirmed that Underhill is scheduled for surgery this Thursday. The 30-year-old is expected to be sidelined for several months, with a potential return in December or January. Consequently, Underhill will be unavailable for England’s November international fixtures against Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.

England head coach Steve Borthwick will need to address the vacancy in the back-row unit. Current options for the starting lineup include Ollie Chessum, Henry Pollock, and Ben Earl.