Despite often being upstaged by his more illustrious big brother, Tony was a top drawer international winger in his own right. Lightning quick and an excellent finisher, he could be devastating in tandem with big brother Rory for both Tigers and England. Crowning moment probably setting a club record with his four tries in one league match in a then record league win over Newcastle Gosforth, but these incidences of running in lightning quick tries were so regular that to pick out single moments is very difficult. Although his England career was also succesful, it is a shame that his most remembered moment is probably being ran over by Jonah Lomu for the first of his four tries in the World Cup semi final in South Africa.
Tony became the first big money mover of the professional era by giving up his job as an insurance broker to become one of Rob Andrew's first signings for Newcastle, where injury prevented his career continuing as it should.
It would perhaps have been all too easy to criticise Tony for moving where the money was, but this was in an age where players were trying to juggle full time jobs with an unpaid international rugby career, and so the opportunity to be earning big bucks as a full time player was too much to refuse.
Besides, no supporter at the time really held this against Tony, Most preferred to remember his excellent performances and his willingness (in the days where autograph hunting kids were allowed on the pitch straight after the final whistle) to be the last man left on the pitch, not retiring to the changing rooms until he had signed every autograph request, often a good twenty minutes after some of his team mates.
Players Who Shook The Crumbie #24: Tony Underwood
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TerraceJoe
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