Painful cut took time to heal for motivated Jack

TIGERS NO.9 EYEING UP A FINAL ROLE THIS TIME

- By Adam Hathaway

JACK VAN POORTVLIET had his Cole Palmer moment three years ago and admits to having some unfinished business in Saturday’s Premiership final.

The England scrum-half was part of Leicester’s win against Sale on Saturday which set up a Twickenham clash with Bath this weekend, when he is aiming to right some wrongs.

The 24-year-old was not part of Tigers’ last appearance in the showpiece game, in 2022, when he was ruthlessly cut from the match day 23 by then-head coach Steve Borthwick, who preferred Richard Wigglesworth and Ben Youngs as nines.

Leicester beat Saracens 15-12 but like England star Palmer, who was an unused substitute when Manchester City won the Champions League final against Inter Milan in 2023, Van Poortvliet was a bystander.