Grand Sam

Back in the mix for club and country, back-row Sam Underhill is in search of the holy grail of consistency

-  ALAN DYMOCK

UNFLAPPABLE. THAT’S the vibe you get off Sam Underhill, it’s suggested to us by one game insider. He just gives off a sense that the big occasions, well, he neither loves nor hates them, he just plays.

So we asked the Bath back-row about that. He tells us: “It’s a question you get asked a lot, about anything: how did you feel about the game? How did you feel about X? How did you feel about Y? A lot of the work we do is to try to achieve consistency. We do a lot of work with psychologists, for example, to help us prepare for games, help us deal with training and injury and disappointment and success.

“A big part of where I’ve tried to get to is that consistency. Not being elated with things, not being devastated with things; looking at process more than outcome.

“Now, again, it’s very easy for people to say they want to be process-driven. When things don’t go their way it’s difficult because you think, ‘well, hang on. I’ve been process-driven. Good things should have happened to me.’ You’ve almost got to ignore outcomes to an extent.

“The only thing you can really do, consistently, is focus on what you’re doing, whether that’s in a game or whether it’s in training or in general.”

At least in answering questions, Underhill feels very aware – and comfortable – with who he is.