England's Underhill Emphasizes Focus Ahead of Wales Six Nations Showdown
England flanker Sam Underhill has made it clear that complacency will have no place in the English camp as they prepare to face Wales in their opening Six Nations match at Twickenham this Saturday. Despite being overwhelming favorites, Underhill stressed that his team is taking nothing for granted against their struggling Celtic rivals.
Form Book Tossed Aside for Test Rugby Challenge
Steve Borthwick's squad enters the contest as heavy odds-on favorites, riding an impressive 11-match winning streak across all competitions. In stark contrast, Wales arrives at Twickenham mired in a dismal run of form, having suffered 21 defeats in their last 23 Test matches. Their last Six Nations victory dates back to 2023, creating what appears to be a significant mismatch on paper.
"We don't pay much attention to bookies' odds," Underhill stated firmly. "One of the beautiful aspects of rugby is that on any given day, anything can happen. When it comes to Test rugby, I don't believe form necessarily matters that much. Ultimately, you have to turn up on the day and execute what you've planned to do."
The English flanker added with conviction: "We're expecting it to be a very competitive game. We know we've got to be at our absolute best to achieve the result we want."
Wales Battling Domestic Turmoil Alongside Poor Form
Compounding Wales' on-field struggles is a significant domestic crisis within Welsh rugby. The Welsh Rugby Union's controversial plans to reduce the nation's professional men's teams from four to three have created substantial uncertainty and disruption throughout the Welsh rugby community. This organizational turmoil adds another layer of challenge for the visiting side as they attempt to reverse their fortunes.
England inflicted a record 68-14 defeat on Wales in Cardiff during last season's Six Nations tournament, but Underhill was adamant that past results would have no bearing on Saturday's encounter. The Red Rose flanker emphasized there was absolutely no question of the hosts taking Steve Tandy's side lightly, regardless of recent history.
England Forced into Late Squad Adjustment
The English camp has been forced to make a significant late change to their lineup after Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was ruled out with a hamstring injury sustained during training on Thursday. No specific return date has been set for the talented 23-year-old, who has scored seven tries in just 13 Tests for England.
This represents another frustrating setback for Feyi-Waboso, who missed the entirety of last season's Six Nations following shoulder surgery. He made his international comeback during England's tour against the United States before starting throughout the November international series.
"We're absolutely gutted for him," Underhill expressed with genuine sympathy. "He's an emotionally resilient individual and incredibly hard-working. Anyone balancing a medical degree with professional rugby undoubtedly possesses remarkable resilience. He's a quality person, and there's no doubt he'll return stronger from this setback."
Roebuck Steps Into the Breach for England
Tom Roebuck will take Feyi-Waboso's place on the right wing, marking his first appearance since a try-scoring performance against New Zealand in November. His Autumn Nations campaign was cut short by a broken toe, and he was initially ruled out of the Wales match earlier this week.
England coach Steve Borthwick indicated on Monday that Roebuck needed "another week or so" to recover fully, but the wing has now been selected ahead of Elliot Daly after training fully on Thursday.
England scrum coach Tom Harrison explained the decision: "Steve mentioned the other day that he'd be ready in a couple of days. In an ideal scenario, we would have given him an additional week to recover, but as we all know, the world isn't always ideal. He completed full training on Thursday and has been exceptional around the squad. I'm genuinely excited to see him take the field."
England's next match will be away to Scotland on the following Saturday, providing another challenging fixture in what promises to be a competitive Six Nations tournament. The English squad remains focused on securing their first Grand Slam in a decade, but Underhill's comments make it clear they view the Wales encounter as anything but a foregone conclusion.
