The 'bitter taste' left in Jack van Poortvliet's mouth

Leicester Tigers scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet admits that watching arch East Midland rivals Northampton Saints dancing around Twickenham, celebrating winning the Gallagher Prem left a bitter taste.

Especially so after Saints beat them 45-31 in the PREM semi-finals to book their place in the showpiece, but the England star says that the Tigers, who won the PREM Rugby Cup last season, will be chasing that winning feeling themselves this season.

Van Poortvliet, 25, who is in the final year of his Welford Road deal, believes that the Tigers have the squad to push for honours again this season, which kicks off against Saracens at the end of the month. “If you see anyone lift the Prem, especially the team which beats you in the semi-final, it does leave a bitter taste in your mouth. But we want to win it for ourselves and not just to stop someone else.

“We have a real winning mentality in this squad and fell short last time. But now it’s about delivering it and, when I look around the dressing room, I’m confident we have the squad to win it.

“You always feel hurt at losing a semi-final. I’ve lost two of them and a final in my career. But we also know how good it feels to win it, and we are going to chase that feeling,” he said.

Van Poortvliet says that adding the likes of new coaches Craig Childs, Rod Seib, Craig Newby and Freddie Burns to Geoff Parling’s coaching has provided them with real clarity in the direction of travel.

“We did a lot of good things to get where we did last time, but, clearly, we have a lot to do still to get to where we want to go. We’ve had some new players and coaches arrive.

“Those coaches have brought in their ideas and methods. We have real clarity going into this year of what is needed,” added Van Poortvliet.