2. Zach Mercer (England)
What they said: “On a sharp upward curve, Mercer has been outstanding for England U20 side this season as captain and was linked with a senior call-up for the Argentina tour. Fast, powerful, and only going to get better.”
What happened since: The back-rower has won just two caps since making his England bow in 2018, with the sheer amount of competition for places across the back-row making a recall unlikely. The 23-year-old currently has very little chance of making the Lions squad.
