Like every England player taking part in this year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan, Sam Underhill won’t be short of support over the next few weeks.

But the 23-year-old will also enjoy the backing of what pretty much amounts to his own private fan club at Sir Thomas Rich’s School in Gloucester.

That’s because Underhill, a dynamic back row who these days plays his club rugby for Bath, is a former pupil at the school in Longlevens and deputy headmaster Chris Carter said: “We do follow Sam Underhill very, very closely.”

Underhill, who made his England debut a couple of years ago, is preparing for his first World Cup and Carter added: “He’s a star in the making, he’s a brilliant rugby player. He’s got a great future as an England rugby player.

“He’s a smashing lad and a very modest individual.”

And Sir Thomas Rich’s, along with local rugby club Longlevens,  takes great pride in the role it played in Underhill’s development.

“He was still at school when he first played for England Under-16s,” continued Carter. “He then went on to play for England Under-18s and first played for Gloucester when he was 17.

“Then he went to university in Cardiff and played for Ospreys and that’s where his career took off.”

Like many top sportsmen and women, Underhill has been backed all the way by those closest to him with Carter adding: “He’s got a fantastic family, they give him great support.

“We keep in touch with his family and Sam keeps in touch with the school even though he obviously puts a lot of time into his rugby.”

Sir Thomas Rich’s puts a lot of time into its sport, of course, and, along with rugby, the sports of netball, cricket, basketball, football and cross-country are all thriving and developing well.

Rugby, though, is the main sport on offer to both boys and girls at the school, a school where Steve Boyle, the former Gloucester, England and British Lions second row, was also a pupil.

“Our rugby programme continues to be better than ever,” said Carter with obvious pride. “We’ve just come back from an under-17 tour to South Africa and we’re looking to have another good season. We’ve got a fantastic fixture list which includes games against Millfield, Bromsgrove, Warwick, Llandovery and Clifton College.

“We took 47 players and six staff to South Africa and it was a very successful tour, winning three of our eight games. We’ve got some very good youngsters coming through including Gloucester Academy players Mike Baron and Robbie Nixon who are joint 1st XV captains this season.”

And while there may not be another Sam Underhill – “He was a unique player,” Carter said – Carter is nonetheless delighted that so many pupils at Sir Thomas Rich’s are playing the great game that is rugby.

“We can put out five teams at Year 7 and Year 8,” added Carter. “Hopefully some of them will develop and join the excellent Gloucester Academy set-up.”

And there will certainly be plenty of opportunity for them to play rugby at Sir Thomas Rich’s at home and abroad over the next few years because the school embarks on a summer tour to the southern hemisphere every two years.

“We’ve been to Australia three times, New Zealand once and South Africa three times,” said Carter. “We’ve already started planning the tour for 2021.”