Sam Underhill faces a concerning period of uncertainty after sustaining a biceps injury during Bath’s 33-17 victory over Harlequins in the Gallagher Premiership opener at The Stoop. Underhill played for 48 minutes in the match but now risks missing further international Tests after being sidelined earlier this year due to shoulder surgery.
England head coach Steve Borthwick’s squad is preparing to face Australia on 8 November, marking the first of four autumn Nations Championship matches. Underhill’s injury therefore casts doubt over his availability for these important fixtures.
Johann van Graan, Bath’s head of rugby, commented on the situation, stating, “It seems like a biceps injury. Obviously Sam will have to undergo a scan. As we know, if the biceps is torn, that means several months out. Hopefully, we have a bit of luck, but we’ll know more next week.”
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Highlighting the match’s standout moments, van Graan praised Santi Carreras’s exceptional try, describing it as Bath’s try of the season despite occurring so early in the 2026-27 campaign. The Argentine star produced a remarkable piece of skill by preventing a certain Quins try with a kicking tackle, then collected the ball and sprinted downfield from just outside his own 22 to score.
“What a player, what a moment,” van Graan said. “He showed incredible composure and skill, choosing to kick the ball upfield with precision rather than merely clearing it. I’ve seen some incredible things from Santi in training, and it was thrilling to see that translated on game day.”
Meanwhile, Harlequins were missing several key players due to injury, including England internationals Marcus Smith (hand), George Furbank (concussion), Fin Baxter (foot), and Alex Dombrandt (knee). Smith could return as soon as their next Premiership fixture against Gloucester, with Furbank expected back shortly afterwards. Baxter remains sidelined for three to four weeks, while Dombrandt faces a longer recovery period.
Quins head coach Jason Gilmore expressed satisfaction with his team’s resilience during the match: “I’m really pleased with the grit and fight the team showed, particularly in the second half. We defended well against some massive attacks on our goal line. However, it was frustrating that although we created many line breaks, we panicked and turned over too much possession, which eased the pressure on Bath.”