Timing is everything in rugby, and for Northampton Saints and their star scrum-half Alex Mitchell, a two-week break couldn't have come at a better moment.

As the Premiership leaders prepare for a blockbuster East Midlands derby against Leicester Tigers this Saturday, Mitchell believes the pause in action has been a perfect reset for a squad that's been grinding through a long, demanding season. The match pits first against third, with both teams eyeing a strong finish before the end-of-season play-offs.

"We've got four games of the regular season left, then we're into the play-offs, so it was perfect timing for us," Mitchell told BBC Radio Northampton's Saints Show. "We're getting the results, we're getting five points, but our performances aren't always there. We're not getting 80 minutes on the pitch, which can be a bit frustrating."

The reigning champions have only lost once in the league this season, but Mitchell is honest about the need to raise their game. "We know we're getting to crunch time with some quality games coming up, and we need to step it up. It's a good place to be that we're still getting results, but there's so much to work on."

For Mitchell personally, the break has been a welcome chance to regain full fitness. The England international suffered a hamstring injury during the Six Nations in February and was sidelined until returning as a replacement in Northampton's European Champions Cup quarter-final defeat to Bath on April 10. With European ambitions now over, the focus is solely on the league.

"It takes time to get that full match fitness back, but I feel I'm in a good place now," Mitchell said. "I was out for seven or eight weeks—in the international camp, then coming back here with different moves and different players. And with a hamstring injury, it's a bit different to other injuries. You have to get used to it, especially when you're pushing to the end of the season."

As the Saints charge toward the play-offs, Mitchell's return to top form could be the edge they need to defend their title. For fans and players alike, the derby against Leicester is the perfect stage to prove they're ready for the battles ahead.