Jack van Poortvliet isn't dwelling on a Six Nations campaign that failed to deliver for England. The Leicester Tigers scrum-half has drawn a line under an underwhelming tournament and shifted his focus entirely to what matters now — keeping the Tigers in the hunt during a pivotal Premiership run-in.

Van Poortvliet featured prominently throughout England's disappointing Six Nations showing, a tournament that fell well short of the standards the Red Rose demand of themselves. International rugby is behind him for now, and Welford Road becomes the only arena that matters.

The timing is everything. Premiership Rugby is entering its business end, and Leicester showed exactly what they're capable of last weekend — a 62-3 demolition of Newcastle Red Bulls that sent a statement to every title contender in the division. Van Poortvliet's ability to control tempo and exploit defensive lapses was central to that performance, and that kind of form needs to carry through.

Next up for the Tigers is a trip to face Saracens on Saturday, 25 April — a fixture that will test Van Poortvliet's composure far more than the Newcastle mauling did. Saracens defend with structure and discipline, and the Tigers' scrum-half will need to be sharp under pressure if Leicester are to maintain momentum.

For followers of South African rugby, the halfback position is always a point of obsession — local talent in that channel is deep and relentless in its competition. Van Poortvliet operates in that same high-pressure environment at club level, and how he responds to international disappointment with consistent domestic performances is the real measure of his quality.

The Premiership title race is wide open. Van Poortvliet's form between now and the final whistle of the regular season could define Leicester's trajectory entirely.