Snubbed England No.8 Zach Mercer signs for Toulon - report

Gloucester No.8 Zach Mercer is set for a return to France after agreeing a deal to move to Toulon - it is being reported.

RugbyPass recently reported that Toulon were front-runners to land the former England back row - the only question being whether not he would leave at the end of the upcoming season or make the move immediately.

Gloucestershire Live now report that Mercer has been bought out of the final two season of his four-year contract and will now play for Bernard Lemaitre's side in the 2025/26 season.

The 27-year-old forward's transfer marks Mercer's return to a league where he was named Player of the Year in 2021/22 after helping Montpellier to a league title.

Despite his success Mercer had returned to England in 2023 after signing a four-year contract with Gloucester in a bid to revive his international career and be closer to his wife’s family. However, despite initial interest from England’s then-head coach Eddie Jones, Mercer found himself sidelined once again after the Aussie's departure.

Gloucester’s management had reportedly been eager to resolve ongoing speculation about Mercer's future, which had caused some disruption within the team.

The deal is expected to be formally announced by both clubs in the coming weeks.

Mercer has two senior England caps and 17 England U20 appearances including 10 as captain.

After leaving Bath in 2021 he played a crucial role in helping Montpellier win their first Top 14 title in 2022 with a standout performance where he scored a try and contributed to three others.

The 6'3, 111kg forward was nominated for World Rugby Junior Player of the Year in 2017 and received his first call-up to the senior England team in the same year. He made his debut against Japan during the 2018 Autumn Internationals.