Zach Mercer addresses Top 14 return rumours amid England exile

As soon as Gloucester No8 Zach Mercer missed out on the England A squad to face Portugal this weekend, rumours began to swirl over a possible return to the Top 14.

The two-cap England international has found it extremely difficult to work his way into Steve Borthwick's England squad since returning from Montpellier last summer, but he is revered in France having been named the Top 14 player of the season in 2022- a title also won by the likes of Sergio Parisse, Antoine Dupont and Cheslin Kolbe.

Midway through the first year of a four-year deal at Kingsholm, the 26-year-old responded to those rumours on The Rugby Pod, reassuring Gloucester fans that he is committed to the Cherry and Whites.

Off the back of a player of the match performance in the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final win over Exeter Chiefs, the No8 was on holiday in Tenerife when he spoke to Jim Hamilton and Andy Goode about his future.

"It was a tough one to take," he said about his omission from the World Cup last year.

"Obviously I've been very vocal on that side of it- some people agree with it, some people don't. It was really frustrating coming back from Montpellier and trying to have a crack at the World Cup and it didn't feel like I was given an opportunity really to have a go at that. Then missing out on the Six Nations.

"At the moment, my head is purely on Gloucester. If I keep worrying about it it won't do my mental health any good.

“In regards to the rumours, they were bound to come out at some point with me not getting picked for the World Cup or the Six Nations, I feel they were always going to come back out that I was going to try and go back to France.

"But I can put that to bed now and I am committed to being at Gloucester. I have got another three years left there so I want to have a crack there.

"We have got a chance of winning some silverware this season, obviously not the Premiership but we will try and fight and get up the table in that, but in the European Challenge Cup and Prem Cup we have a chance to win something.”