Zach Mercer is an English rugby union player who primarily plays as a number eight or flanker. He was born on June 28, 1997, in Leeds, England. Mercer grew up near Halifax but moved to Scotland with his family at the age of eight. His father is Gary Mercer, a former New Zealand rugby league international.
Mercer attended Netherlee Primary School and Williamwood High School in Glasgow, Scotland. He later transferred to Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, where he received a scholarship. Despite attending school in Scotland, Mercer represented England at the youth level in rugby.
In terms of his club career, Mercer was initially a member of the Glasgow Warriors academy while living in Scotland. However, in 2015, he joined Bath Rugby in England. He made his debut for Bath in September 2016 in a Premiership match against the Newcastle Falcons. Mercer quickly established himself as a regular in the first-team squad and showcased his abilities as a strong ball carrier and formidable force in defense.
Mercer's achievements extend to the international stage as well. He became a Scottish-qualified player through residency and initially played for the Scotland U16 team. However, he later represented England at the U18 level in the European Championship. Mercer made his debut for the England U20 team during the 2016 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and went on to captain the side to a grand slam victory in the 2017 U20 Six Nations.
In addition, Mercer captained England U20s in the 2017 Junior World Cup, where he scored the winning try in the semi-final against South Africa. Although his team ultimately lost to New Zealand in the final, Mercer's performances earned him a nomination for World Rugby Junior Player of the Year.
Mercer received his first call-up to the England senior squad for the 2017 Autumn Internationals but was treated as an apprentice player. He was officially named in England's squad for the 2018 Six Nations Championship and made his debut for the senior team on May 27, 2018, against the Barbarians. He scored a try in that match, although England suffered a 63-45 loss.
Mercer continued to be selected for England's senior team, making appearances in the Autumn Internationals and other test matches. In terms of his club career, after the 2020/21 season, Mercer signed a deal to join French Top 14 club Montpellier. However, on August 30, 2022, it was confirmed that Mercer would return to England to join Gloucester Rugby in the Premiership for the 2023-24 season.
KG(23/06/2023)
Career
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Barbarians No. 8 |
2022 - present |
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Gloucester Rugby No. 8 |
2023 - present |
 |
England U20's No. 8 |
2016 - 2017 |
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Bath Rugby No. 8 |
|
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England Openside Flanker |
2017 - 2023 |
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Montpellier No. 8 |
2021 - 2023 |
