"Scotland?" - Zach Mercer open to swapping nations after quitting England

Thursday, 20 November 2025 at 21:26

byRugby Rucker

Zach Mercer made his call last summer. After years of being overlooked by Steve Borthwick – that baffled fans and pundits alike – the Gloucester number eight ditched his England ambitions and signed with French giants Toulon.

It was a bold move from a player who returned to the Premiership specifically to resurrect his Test career. But the message from Twickenham never changed: not this time, not this squad, not this season. Eventually, Mercer stopped waiting.

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Could Mercer Have Played for Scotland?

Short answer: No chance.

The debate resurfaced on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, where some floated the idea of a switch to Scotland. And on paper, it sounded plausible — Mercer spent time in the Scottish system at youth level while his father Gary coached at Glasgow.

The Good, The Bad & The Rugby

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Should England-snubbed Zach Mercer cut his losses and switch his allegiance to Scotland? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 👀 The in-form No. 8's future was our @ContiUK question for this week - reply with your questions for the lads below! #EnglandRugby #ScotlandRugby #SixNations2024

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5:40 PM · Feb 21, 2024

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But that eligibility was only residency-based, and World Rugby’s rules are crystal clear: a player may only switch to a nation in which they were born, or where a parent or grandparent was born.

Mercer has no Scottish family heritage, meaning a move to the Dark Blue is completely off the table.

The One Nation Mercer Can Switch To

And it’s the biggest rugby nation of them all.

While Scotland is impossible, Mercer does have one blockbuster option: New Zealand.

His father Gary was born there, making the All Blacks the only team he can legally represent under World Rugby’s switch regulations. It’s a wild thought — an England international turning out in black — but technically, it’s real.

Mercer isn’t rushing the idea, but isn't ruled it out though.

“The only other team I qualify for is New Zealand,” he told Gloucestershire Live. “So unless I fancy moving to Dunedin or Christchurch, I don’t think my missus would be too happy with that right now, but who knows what could happen in the future.”

Could Mercer Really Become an All Black?

Right now, Mercer is focused on proving a point in the Top 14. But whisper it quietly: if he were to move to New Zealand before the 2027 Rugby World Cup cycle locks in, he would have every chance of forcing his way into the All Blacks conversation.

It sounds crazy.
It is crazy.
But with Mercer’s talent — and the rulebook on his side — it’s not impossible.