Zach Mercer

International career Youth teams Mercer became a Scottish-qualified player through residency and played for the Scotland U16 team.

Mercer was captain of the England U20 team that completed the grand slam in the 2017 U20 Six Nations. Mercer also captained the team at the 2017 Junior World Cup, They were defeated in the final by New Zealand.

Senior teams Mercer received his first call up to the England national rugby union team for the 2017 Autumn Internationals, however coach Eddie Jones made it clear he would be treated as an apprentice player in the squad. In January 2018 he was named in England's squad for the 2018 Six Nations Championship and was no longer listed as an apprentice player. On 27 May 2018, Mercer started for England at number 8 in a non-test match against the Barbarians. Scoring a first half try on his England debut, a 63–45 loss for England, against an experienced Baa Baa lineup.

Mercer was selected to make his England debut against South Africa in the 2018 Autumn Internationals after Ben Morgan was dropped.

Eddie Jones announced that Mercer will gain his first start in a test match for England in their 2018 Autumn Internationals match against Japan.

Personal life Mercer's father is former rugby league footballer and coach Gary Mercer, who played for New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori rugby league team.

He is of Māori ancestry.