I want my England shirt back says JVP

THE sight of the world's best scrumhalf strutting his stuff on the home of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club last weekend increased the desire of Leicester's Jack van Poortvliet to again don the white No.9 jersey this summer.

- GARY FITZGERALD

Antoine Dupont's master class for Toulouse in their European Cup triumph over Leinster merely demonstrated to the Tigers scrum-half just what is needed to get back into Steve Borthwick's England plans for the tour to Japan and New Zealand.

Van Poortvliet spent much of the time recovering from the devastating ankle injury suffered against Wales last summer which ended his World Cup dream watching games and wishing he was fit enough to get back out onto the field.

He travelled to France to watch his team-mates face Samoa during the pool stage to cheer them on and be near the action he was so badly yearning.

Now, he has taken lessons from how the "freakish" Dupont inspired Toulouse to Champions Cup glory last Saturday even when Leinster's renowned defence was trying to suffocate his brilliant flair and skill.

Van Poortvliet, 23, told The Rugby Paper: "He's clearly the best scrumhalf in the world right now, and all of us can try and set our aspirations to emulate some of the stuff he does.