Tigers' Van Poortvliet plots quick England return

Leicester Tigers scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet says he utilized his omission from England's summertime circuit arsenic a "big opportunity" to improve.

The 23-year-old past featured for nan nationalist squad successful August 2023 against Wales - a lucifer successful which he suffered an ankle wounded that forced him retired of past year's World Cup.

A succession of different wounded setbacks aft that kept him sidelined for 8 months, and, while backmost to afloat fittingness astatine nan extremity of past season, he was overlooked by England leader Steve Borthwick.

"I ever want to play world rugby and erstwhile you person had a sensation of it, you want to get it backmost arsenic speedy arsenic possible," Van Poortvliet told BBC Radio Leicester.

"I was gutted, but I deliberation for maine I wasn’t bully capable to get picked astatine that point."

Borthwick called connected Premiership-winning Northampton number 9 Alex Mitchell, Bath's Ben Spencer and Bristol’s Harry Randall for nan summertime Test matches against Japan and New Zealand.

Van Poortvliet, who has earned 14 caps since making his England debut against Australia successful nan summertime of 2022, said he refused to dwell connected what his pre-World Cup wounded past twelvemonth has costs him arsenic others further solidified their spot connected nan world stage.

"You get dealt your cards successful injuries, aliases nan timing of it, and that is retired of your control, freak worldly for illustration that, truthful I conscionable person to power what I tin control," Van Poortvliet said.

"For me, that's to attraction connected myself and I'm not excessively worried astir others."

He said a pre-season moving nether caller Tigers leader Michael Cheika, nan erstwhile Australia and Argentina caput coach who led Leinster Heineken Cup glory successful 2009, was a affirmative to travel from his England omission.

"It was past a attraction connected 'right, I person a large opportunity now, pinch a longer pre-season, to amended successful nan areas I want to amended on' and I've travel backmost refreshed, fresh and fresh to go.

"The pre-season has allowed maine to do that and I’m emotion really good."