Below, we look at how in-form number 8 Zach Mercer and three other players who fell foul of England head coach Eddie Jones.
#1. Zach Mercer
The number 8 was deemed not big enough by the England boss, meaning no matter how well he performed for Bath it didn’t make a difference to his chances of a call-up.
“I hadn’t been in the England environment for more than two years. I hadn’t heard from Eddie Jones for a long time,” revealed Mercer to the Mail Online, who joined Montpellier due to his continues international exile.
“It would have been nice to have a conversation about where I stood. That helped push my decision to come out here and I took the decision that I won’t play for England.
“‘I took the decision that I won’t play at the next World Cup, which was massive for me. But I’ve still got time to develop.”
In his first few weeks in the South of France, he has been entertained on speedboats, became engaged and has won two man-of-the-match awards.
