According to Mail Online, Gloucester star Zach Mercer is considering a return to France after touring the Toulon training centre this week.
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. Despite his impressive individual form for the Cherry and Whites this season, the 26-year-old missed the 2024 Six Nations and has been excluded from the squad for this summer’s tour of Japan and New Zealand.
With one year left on his Gloucester deal and an England recall seemingly off the table, Mercer could return to the Top 14 in 2025.
In an exclusive interview with RugbyPass, RFU director of rugby performance Conor O’Shea hinted that the focus is on the future, specifically under-20 players, rather than Zach Mercer.
O’Shea emphasised the need to balance experience with youth, stating that squads are chosen to field the strongest team for each match. This suggests that Borthwick views Mercer as less competitive than other experienced back-rowers and believes younger, less experienced players will benefit more from the opportunity.
O’Shea was understandably cautious in his remarks, providing what many might consider political answers. However, it seems clear that Mercer is unlikely to don an England shirt in the near future.
“There would be players that Steve might pick tomorrow that would be ahead of some of the players that are potentially there now, and it’s getting that balance” O’Shea said.
“We said this right from the start about young players popping out of the U20s that we want to keep that connection amongst them as well as the senior players and it’s getting that balance. Listen, it’s a massive honour to play for your country at any level and this is a big Test match against Portugal, but we are trying to balance.
“You could look across and say there are a number of players, ‘Should they be in?’ Every position has been discussed with what’s right for this particular game as opposed to what would be happening if you were running out into the Six Nations, plus making sure we have the strongest type of team available.
“That’s the rationale behind some of the selections. And Steve has spoken to a couple of players who might think, ‘Are we second in, are we third in the team and we’re not in this’ and he has spoken to them.”
Mercer’s response to being left out for the Six Nations:
Mercer said: “I’ve been open with Steve, I’ve told him my opinions on it. I thought I haven’t really been given a crack which is what I feel like, to not even be given a game to try and prove myself is tough.
“I just don’t feel like he values what I can offer as a player and that’s me being honest, I don’t think he values what I can bring.
“Obviously I don’t fit into the system that he wants to run and, whether I agree with that or not, it is what it is.
“My focus now is on Gloucester and England can take a step aside for the moment.”
Borthwick response:
“Zach and I had a conversation last week. We’ve had a number of conversations over the last couple of weeks with Zach since he’s come back from injury.
“We’ve highlighted areas where players have done well and the areas where they bring a point of difference. It’s a competitive arena.
“And [we highlight] areas where we want them to develop them and add to their game. That’s the same conversation I had with Zach.
“When I’m talking to a player, I’m basing it in objectivity. I’m basing it on targets for them to go after, and then we can shape a shared understanding of what we’re seeing.
“Granted, sometimes as a coach you want something specific in a team
Current number 8 pecking order
- 6. Callum Chick (Newcastle Falcons)
- 5. Zach Mercer (Gloucester Rugby)
- 4. Alfie Barbeary (Bath Rugby)
- 3. Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs)
- 2. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins)
- 1. Ben Earl (Saracens)
Nigel Owens Reveals the Top 5 Rugby Stadiums with the Best Atmosphere
Legendary referee Nigel Owens has handpicked three stadiums where he experienced the most electrifying atmospheres during his career, surprisingly omitting his beloved Principality Stadium in Cardiff from the list.
However, Owens prefaced his ranking with an explanation:
“It doesn’t really matter what game is taking place at the Principality Stadium, there is just something special about it. It’s the way it’s built, where it is, the atmosphere that those factors combine to generate.
“Judgement Day is great, European Cup matches there are the same and obviously top internationals are on another level. To me, that is the best stadium in the world but I will leave that out of my selections below because I am, of course, Welsh and maybe a little biased!”
Explore his entire top five below
#5. Stade de France, Paris
The first of the international grounds on our list of the best stadiums in world rugby, the atmosphere in Stade de France mirrors their national team: boisterous and joyful when on the front foot, but quiet and frail when behind.
Owens wrote: “When you’re inside the Stade de France it’s an incredible stadium.
“The atmosphere is up there with the best and I absolutely loved refereeing there but the actual location of the stadium is not the best, there isn’t a lot going on around it, it’s the total opposite to Cardiff in many ways.”
He added: “I did the 2018 game here when Johnny Sexton kicked a 45 metre drop goal after 46 phases to win the match and set Ireland on their way to a Grand Slam that year. France had scored the only try of the match to take the lead in the 72nd minute and the crowd were going crazy, it was so loud and La Marseillaise was being sung.
“But Ireland were just relentless in that closing passage leading to the drop goal. People talk about the pressure on Sexton, well they want to know what it’s like refereeing at that stage of a match! You know any decision you make is probably going to decide the outcome. You can’t afford to get it wrong.
“But that stadium is absolutely rocking when France are hitting their straps. A special place to referee.”
#4. Thomond Park, Limerick
Owens wrote: “For me, few things beat Thomond Park on a European Cup weekend. That is an experience that should be on every rugby fan’s bucket list. When there are 28,000 in there for games against the likes of Toulouse, Leicester or Clermont – all of which I’ve refereed there – then it doesn’t half take some beating.”
He added: “Refereeing Leinster v Munster in Dublin was one thing, but refereeing the same fixture at Thomond Park is something else entirely. It was a very difficult game to referee because of the intensity of the crowd and the players responding to that.
“When you are in that stadium and all those thousands of supporters are singing Fields of Athenry, it really is breathtaking.”
