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Zach Mercer

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Zach Mercer
Mercer with Montpellier in 2022
Birth nameZach Ivan Mercer
Date of birth (1997-06-28) 28 June 1997 (age 27)
Place of birthLeeds, England
Height1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight111 kg (17 st 7 lb; 245 lb)[1]
SchoolMerchiston Castle School
Notable relative(s)Gary Mercer (father)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Number Eight, Flanker
Current team Gloucester Rugby
Youth career
Old Brodleians
Glasgow Hutchesons Aloysians
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2021 Bath 99 (135)
2021–2023 Montpellier 59 (35)
2023– Gloucester 26 (20)
Correct as of 18 October 2024
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2013 Scotland U16
2015 England U18 6 (15)
2016–2017 England U20 17 (40)
2018 England 2 (0)
Correct as of 18 June 2017

Zach Mercer (born 28 June 1997) is an English rugby union player who plays as a number eight or a flanker for Gloucester in the Gallagher Premiership.

Early life

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Mercer was born in Leeds and grew up near Halifax.[2] He played junior rugby for Old Brodleians.[3] At the age of eight he moved with his family to Scotland.[2] In Scotland he attended Netherlee Primary School and Williamwood High School in Glasgow. He left at the end of his third year and then he attended Merchiston Castle School and played for Glasgow Hutchesons Aloysians.[3]

Club career

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Whilst living in Scotland, Mercer was a member of the Glasgow Warriors academy.[4] In 2015, Mercer joined Bath.[5]

In September 2016, Mercer made his club debut in a Premiership fixture against the Newcastle Falcons.[1]

In February 2021 it was confirmed that Mercer would join French Top 14 side Montpellier ahead of the 2021–22 season.[6] Mercer's single season in Montpellier was a success, with the side winning their first ever French Championship.[7] Mercer also won some personal accolades, being named in the Top 14 Team of the Year and well as winning the Top 14 Player of the Year award.[8][9]

On 30 August 2022, it was confirmed that Mercer would return to England to re-join the Premiership Rugby with Gloucester on a long-term deal ahead of the 2023–24 season.[10]

International career

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Youth teams

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Mercer became a Scottish-qualified player through residency and played for the Scotland U16 team.[2] In March 2015, Mercer represented England U18 at the U18 European Championship.[3]

Mercer made his debut for the England U20 side during the 2016 Six Nations Under 20s Championship.[3] In June 2016, Mercer scored a try against Italy U20 in the group stage of the 2016 Junior World Cup.[11]

Mercer was captain of the England U20 team that completed the grand slam in the 2017 U20 Six Nations.[12] Mercer also captained the team at the 2017 Junior World Cup,[3] scoring the winning try in the semi-final against South Africa.[13] They were defeated in the final by New Zealand.[2] His performances saw Mercer nominated for World Rugby Junior Player of the Year.[14]

Senior teams

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Mercer received his first call up to the England national rugby union team for the 2017 Autumn Internationals, however coach Eddie Jones made it clear he would be treated as an apprentice player in the squad.[15] In January 2018 he was named in England's squad for the 2018 Six Nations Championship and was no longer listed as an apprentice player.[16] On 27 May 2018, Mercer started for England at number 8 in a non-test match against the Barbarians. Scoring a first half try on his England debut, a 63–45 loss for England, against an experienced Baa Baa lineup.[17]

Mercer was selected to make his England debut[18] against South Africa in the 2018 Autumn Internationals after Ben Morgan was dropped.

Eddie Jones announced that Mercer will gain his first start in a test match for England in their 2018 Autumn Internationals match against Japan.[19]

Personal life

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Mercer's father is former rugby league footballer and coach Gary Mercer, who played for New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori rugby league team.[2]

He is of Māori ancestry.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Zach Mercer – Bath Profile". Bath Rugby official website. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Kiwis rugby league star's son Zach Mercer poised for England rugby union test debut". Stuff.NZ. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Zach Mercer International profile". Rugby Football Union. Archived from the original on 24 January 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Honours Even After U16 Encounters". Glasgow Warriors official website. 4 March 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  5. ^ "Zach Mercer Highlights". Bath Chronicle. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Zach Mercer departs for Montpellier making way for Jaco Coetzee to join Bath Rugby". Bath Rugby. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  7. ^ "Montpellier win first Top 14 title in dominant style". www.rugbypass.com. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Top 14 : le XV type de la saison 2021/2022 dévoilé, avec trois Montpelliérains dans l'équipe". midilibre.fr (in French). Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Nuit du Rugby : Zach Mercer élu meilleur joueur de la saison 2021-2022 du Top 14". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 30 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Zach Mercer to become a Cherry & White". Gloucester Rugby. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  11. ^ "World Rugby U20 Championship 2016: England start Manchester tournament with win". BBC Sport. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  12. ^ "Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U20s 10-14 England U20s". BBC Sport. 17 March 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  13. ^ "World Rugby Championship: England Under-20s beat South Africa to reach final". BBC Sport. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Mercer and Ibitoye nominated for World Rugby award". Rugby Football Union. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Autumn internationals: James Haskell left out of England squad". BBC Sport. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  16. ^ "Six Nations 2018: England name eight uncapped players in squad for Italy". BBC Sport. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  17. ^ "England v Barbarians: Chris Ashton hat-trick inspires Baa-Baas to victory". BBC Sport. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  18. ^ "England v South Africa: Mike Brown dropped for Springbok Test". BBC Sport. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  19. ^ "England v Japan: Joe Cokanasiga to start Twickenham Test". BBC Sport. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
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