Zach Mercer
{{Short description|England international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Zach Mercer
| image = Zach Mercer remise Trophée (cropped).jpg
| caption = Mercer with Montpellier in 2022
| birth_name = Zach Ivan Mercer
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1997|6|28}}
| birth_place = Leeds, England
| height = {{convert|1.90|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|111|kg|stlb lb|abbr=on}}
| school = Merchiston Castle School
| university =
| relatives = Gary Mercer (father)
| position = Number Eight, Flanker
| currentclub = Gloucester Rugby
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Old Brodleians
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Glasgow Hutchesons Aloysians
| years1 = 2016–2021
| years2 = 2021–2023
| years3 = 2023–
| clubs1 = Bath
| clubs2 = Montpellier
| clubs3 = Gloucester
| apps1 = 99
| apps2 = 59
| apps3 = 26
| points1 = 135
| points2 = 35
| points3 = 20
| clubupdate = 18 October 2024
| repyears1 = 2013
| repyears2 = 2015
| repyears3 = 2016–2017
| repyears4 = 2018
| repteam1 = Scotland U16
| repteam2 = England U18
| repteam3 = England U20
| repteam4 = England
| repcaps1 =
| repcaps2 = 6
| repcaps3 = 17
| repcaps4 = 2
| reppoints1 =
| reppoints2 = 15
| reppoints3 = 40
| reppoints4 = 0
| repupdate = 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
Mercer was born in Leeds and grew up near Halifax.{{cite web|title=Kiwis rugby league star's son Zach Mercer poised for England rugby union test debut|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/international/100713836/kiwis-rugby-league--stars-son-zach-mercer-poised-for-england-rugby-union-test-debut|publisher=Stuff.NZ|date=19 January 2018|access-date=26 January 2018}} He played junior rugby for Old Brodleians.{{cite web|title=Zach Mercer International profile|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/england/senior-england-men/squads/zach-mercer/|publisher=Rugby Football Union|access-date=18 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180124214704/http://www.englandrugby.com/england/senior-england-men/squads/zach-mercer/|archive-date=24 January 2018}} At the age of eight he moved with his family to Scotland. 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.
Club career
Whilst living in Scotland, Mercer was a member of the Glasgow Warriors academy.{{cite web |url=http://www.glasgowwarriors.org/news/13/03/04/honours-even-after-u16-encounters|title=Honours Even After U16 Encounters |publisher=Glasgow Warriors official website |date=4 March 2013 |access-date=26 January 2018}} In 2015, Mercer joined Bath.{{cite web |url=http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/highlights-show-bath-rugbys-zach-210086|title=Zach Mercer Highlights |publisher=Bath Chronicle |date=18 July 2017 |access-date=26 January 2018}}
In September 2016, Mercer made his club debut in a Premiership fixture against the Newcastle Falcons.{{cite web|title=Zach Mercer – Bath Profile|url=https://www.bathrugby.com/first-team/zach-mercer/|publisher=Bath Rugby official website|access-date=18 July 2017}}
In February 2021 it was confirmed that Mercer would join French Top 14 side Montpellier ahead of the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web|title=Zach Mercer departs for Montpellier making way for Jaco Coetzee to join Bath Rugby|url=https://www.bathrugby.com/team-news/zach-mercer-departs-for-montpellier-making-way-for-jaco-coetzee-to-join-bath-rugby/|access-date=2021-02-01|website=Bath Rugby|language=en}} Mercer's maiden season in Montpellier was a success, with the side winning their first ever French Championship.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-24 |title=Montpellier win first Top 14 title in dominant style |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/montpellier-win-first-top-14-title-in-dominant-style/ |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=www.rugbypass.com |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Top 14 : le XV type de la saison 2021/2022 dévoilé, avec trois Montpelliérains dans l'équipe |url=https://www.midilibre.fr/2022/07/27/top-14-le-xv-type-de-la-saison-20212022-devoile-avec-trois-montpellierains-dans-lequipe-10459078.php |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=midilibre.fr |language=fr}}{{Cite web |title=Nuit du Rugby : Zach Mercer élu meilleur joueur de la saison 2021-2022 du Top 14 |url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Rugby/Actualites/Nuit-du-rugby-zach-mercer-elu-meilleur-joueur-de-la-saison-2021-2022-du-top-14/1356268 |access-date=2024-03-30 |website=L'Équipe |language=fr}}
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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/news/zach-mercer-to-become-a-cherry-white |publisher=Gloucester Rugby |title=Zach Mercer to become a Cherry & White | date=30 August 2022 | access-date=12 December 2022}}
International career
=Youth teams=
Mercer became a Scottish-qualified player through residency and played for the Scotland U16 team. In March 2015, Mercer represented England U18 at the U18 European Championship.
Mercer made his debut for the England U20 side during the 2016 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. In June 2016, Mercer scored a try against Italy U20 in the group stage of the 2016 Junior World Cup.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/36475784|title=World Rugby U20 Championship 2016: England start Manchester tournament with win |publisher=BBC Sport |date=7 June 2016 |access-date=26 January 2018}}
Mercer was captain of the England U20 team that completed the grand slam in the 2017 U20 Six Nations.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39304179|title=Under-20 Six Nations: Ireland U20s 10-14 England U20s |publisher=BBC Sport |date=17 March 2017 |access-date=26 January 2018}} Mercer also captained the team at the 2017 Junior World Cup, scoring the winning try in the semi-final against South Africa.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/40264736|title=World Rugby Championship: England Under-20s beat South Africa to reach final |publisher=BBC Sport |date=13 June 2017 |access-date=26 January 2018}} They were defeated in the final by New Zealand. His performances saw Mercer nominated for World Rugby Junior Player of the Year.{{cite web |url=http://www.englandrugby.com/news/mercer-and-ibitoye-nominated-for-world-rugby-award/|title=Mercer and Ibitoye nominated for World Rugby award|publisher=Rugby Football Union |date=17 June 2017 |access-date=26 January 2018}}
=Senior teams=
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.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41758949 |title=Autumn internationals: James Haskell left out of England squad |publisher=BBC Sport |date=26 October 2017 |access-date=26 October 2017 }} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42731062|title=Six Nations 2018: England name eight uncapped players in squad for Italy |publisher=BBC Sport |date=18 January 2018 |access-date=18 January 2018}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/44273946|title=England v Barbarians: Chris Ashton hat-trick inspires Baa-Baas to victory |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 May 2018 |access-date=27 May 2018}}
Mercer was selected to make his England debut{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46037489|title=England v South Africa: Mike Brown dropped for Springbok Test |publisher=BBC Sport |date=30 Oct 2018 |access-date=30 Oct 2018}} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/46220868|title=England v Japan: Joe Cokanasiga to start Twickenham Test|date=2018-11-15|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2018-11-15|language=en-GB}}
Personal life
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.
He is of Māori ancestry.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.englandrugby.com/england/senior-england-men/squads/zach-mercer/ RFU profile]
- [https://www.bathrugby.com/first-team/zach-mercer/ Bath profile]
{{Gloucester Rugby squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercer, Zach}}
Category:English rugby union players
Category:Rugby union number eights
Category:English people of Māori descent
Category:People educated at Merchiston Castle School
Category:England international rugby union players
Category:Rugby union players from Leeds
Category:Montpellier Hérault Rugby players