The China Mail - 'Nothing for me' with England set-up, says Toulon's Mercer

Mercer, capped twice by England in 2018, was named Top 14 player of the year in 2022 when his then-club Montpellier won the French championship.

The 28-year-old spent two seasons with Montpellier before returning to home to play for Gloucester in an unsuccessful bid to force his way back into the England squad, not aided by a serious knee injury.

The son of former Kiwi rugby league player Gary, Mercer insisted there were no sour grapes, as a return to France in Toulon's colours ended any hope of furthering his international career with England as no players outside the English Prem are considered for selection.

"Right now there are too many good back rows in England and there's nothing for me," Mercer told AFP in an interview.

"If you asked me that maybe when I was at Montpellier then I probably would have had a different story but I tried it, it didn't work for me so for me I've got no qualms.

"It's not hard for me to watch (England). I just watch the lads that I get on with and hope that they do well when they play."

Mercer added: "I've tried to go back and it didn't work. I've done everything I can to represent the white jersey and it just hasn't worked out.

"'C'est la vie', as I say. It's just graft here and enjoy my time here."

Mercer backed England to do well in the upcoming Six Nations, arguing that the team ethos had changed from when he made his debut.

"They've had some good results so I don't see why not," he said.

"It's a better team than a few years ago. When I was first in the environment it was very hierarchical, you had the older players and they had the younger players whereas here they seem like a really tight, cohesive group which seems to show the pitch."

- 'Massive game' -

Mercer's Toulon take on his former club Gloucester in Champions Cup action on Saturday.

Pool 2 is the tightest of the groups and, with the top four qualifying, all six teams are still in with a chance of reaching the last 16. Toulon are third but only three points ahead of fifth-placed Gloucester.

"I'm really excited for the challenge this weekend. Obviously I'm going to see some familiar friends and some familiar foes and it's going to be a good match," he said.

"Gloucester have had an up and down season, but we know they'll be up for it this weekend."

Mercer added: "It's a massive game for us, we've got to win."

The backrower predicted an attacking approach from what he called a young Gloucester side.

"They're very good at it when it clicks, so I think they're going to try and run us around the park," he said, picking out Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams as a danger man.

"He's a world-class player, I played with Tommy and he's pretty incredible."

J.Liv--ThChM