JVP ready to prove he's back to his best

ENGLAND and Leicester dynamo Jack van Poortvliet has highlighted in both his actions and words that he's back to his very best after suffering a gut-wrenching injury lay-off.

-  LUKE JARMYN

The scrum-half burst back on the Premiership scene last weekend, crossing the try line in a manner he hopes will remind England head coach Steve Borthwick why he's been touted as Ben Youngs' long-term successor to the No.9 shirt for both club and country.

It's a sharp turnaround for the 22-year-old, who has had to put his tears at Twickenham, and the devastation of missing a first World Cup due to an ankle injury behind him, as he works to get his career back on track.

Van Poortvliet told The Rugby Paper: "I have been trying to do whatever I can to get myself back fit, to be playing and be as sharp as I can. I was out for eight months, which is a long time, and it feels even longer, so at the moment I'm very focused on trying to help Leicester; help us win all the games we've got coming up in the Premiership and in the Champions Cup.

"It's been a bit of a long slog to try and get back, a few different injuries and a few stumbling blocks on the way but it's felt so good to get back out there.

"When you are told you're playing, and building-up to it I've been both nervous and very excited to back out there, off the bench and then to be in that starting XV.

"I've just been itching to start playing rugby again.