Tom Curry staked a claim for this summer’s Lions tour with a powerful carrying and try-scoring display in Sale’s impressive 43-29 bonus-point win against Harlequins at Twickenham Stoop.
Harlequins defied the absence of their England stars to stun Saracens 23-12 after coming alive in the second half of their Gallagher Premiership clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
England captain Maro Itoje will return to captain a Saracens side containing four of his international team-mates during the Guinness Six Nations when they host Harlequins in the Gallagher Premiership on Saturday.
Ben Spencer, who has been replaced by van Poortvliet, was one of eight players from last week’s Calcutta Cup squad not included in the reduced squad that assembled in York on Wednesday.
England find themselves in a strange position heading into the final two rounds of the Guinness Six Nations.
England's latest addition to their Girona training camp, Henry Pollock, has said that it is his goal to represent the senior side, but has not ruled out the prospect of representing Scotland in the future.