England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet has revealed how much his pre-2023 Rugby World Cup injury “affected” him and predicted how deep Steve Borthwick’s squad can go at the next finals in 2027.
The 25-year-old spoke to Planet Rugby at the Prem launch ahead of the new season, and was in good spirits ahead of what could be a very successful season for Leicester Tigers.
He has every reason to be enjoying himself at the moment, after starting all three of England’s Nations Championship Tests in the summer, including victories over both Fiji and Argentina.
His return to the forefront of England duty has been a gradual process after he suffered an ankle injury in the warm-up victory over Wales ahead of the 2023 World Cup. England’s first-choice number nine at the time, his absence handed Alex Mitchell an opportunity which he seized as he impressed during what was a relatively successful World Cup campaign for the third place England.
“Time’s a big thing…”
Following that tournament, Van Poortvliet’s return to the international side was a gradual one, with the scrum-half largely featuring off the bench or making sporadic starts when Mitchell or Ben Spencer were unavailable.
Incidentally, it was an injury to Mitchell that would see him back in the number nine shirt for England in recent months. The Northampton Saints star injured his hamstring during England’s Six Nations defeat to Ireland at Twickenham in February and it went again in May, causing him to miss the summer internationals.
Reflecting on his journey back to full fitness and the England starting position, Van Poortvliet said: “Time’s a big thing. It took time. It affected me quite a bit, but it also gave me a lot of time to reflect on where I need to get better. It gave me a good realisation of where I need to get to and it took time. I had to work really hard.
“It gave me an appreciation of what I get to do and how privileged I am, and probably gave me a new-found enjoyment for the game. So then, when I was enjoying the game, I had a better perspective on the game and it helped me play better. I don’t think I’m anywhere near where I want to get to. Still, in the long run, it was probably quite good for me.”
Leicester Tigers and England scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet has revealed how much his pre-2023 World Cup injury “affected” him, and just how far the 2027 squad can go 🏴👏 #englandrugby #rugby #rugbyworldcup #rugbyunion pic.twitter.com/ol68uslc4o
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) September 19, 2026
England’s 2027 World Cup potential
In 2023, the England squad were in a transition phase, with a few old heads on their way out, a few youngsters proving themselves, and a coach less than a year into the job. This time around, Borthwick will have had almost five years in charge of a national squad with an age bracket all around their peak.
“The squad’s got 100% capability of winning it,” Van Poortvliet claimed. “Ever since I missed out in ’23, the long-term goal was always to get out and play for England in the 2027 World Cup, and try and help the team win.”
England have a plethora of scrum-halves fighting for the position, so he knows his position isn’t guaranteed. “It’s a long way away still, so I’ve got a lot of work to do from here ’til then. But that’s always going to be in the back of my mind of things I do this year. I want to put myself in the best position to get picked for the World Cup next year.”