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.
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin April 07, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye The Rugby Paper dergisinin April 07, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Minikin sparks a party at Twickenham for Yorkshire
EUPHORIC scenes swept round Ionians ground as Lewis Minikin dashed over to score Yorkshire's fourth try to send the white rose to Twickenham for the first time in 16 years.
Rebels facing tough test against 'Canes
SUPER Rugby Pacific play-off spots were confirmed this weekend, with the soon-to-be extinct Melbourne Rebels living to fight another day in eighth place.
Ospreys' Nicky just too tricky for Cardiff
LEICESTER-BOUND, Smith scored Nicky two tries as Ospreys squeezed into the playoffs with a bonus-point victory over a battling Cardiff in an enthralling game.
Quins want to throw fitting farewell party
HARLEQUINS stars Shaunagh Brown, Rachael Burford and Emily Scott start their final game for the club today.
Mapletoft set for Georgia challenge
ENGLAND U20s head coach Mark Mapletoft has confirmed his 30-player squad that travel to Georgia next week in preparation for next month's World Championship.
Gloucester put faith in 'some old heads'
IT was typical of Gloucester's season - make that the last couple that when they came up against a front five in last weekend's Challenge Cup final that contained four World Cup winners they were missing three frontline forwards.
Smith has final say for Saints
NORTHAMPTON Saints, having run teams ragged in glorious fashion all season, scrummaged and muscled their way to their first Premiership final since 2014 but a resilient Saracens contested the issue until the final whistle.
Finally! Bath hold nerve to see off Sharks
BATH are one victory away from winning the Premiership for the first time after surviving a Sale comeback, but they are likely to be underdogs against a Northampton that has been a couple more years in the making.
Chessum 'gutted' to miss out on England
OLLIE Chessum admits he is \"gutted\" to be missing out on a busy summer with England in the southern hemisphere.
Boyd got me back on track - Ludlam
LEWIS left the Ludlam Franklin's Gardens turf in a Northampton jersey for perhaps the last time on Friday night, six years after he thought about ending his career because he feared it was going nowhere.