"I dreamed of becoming an All Black": RCT's new No. 8, Zach Mercer, talks about his New Zealand roots

Born in Leeds, then raised a few miles southwest, near Halifax, Zach Mercer finally moved to Scotland at the age of 8, when his dad became coach of the Glasgow Warriors. A true Brit, you might say? Yet, at an age when his school friends dreamed of becoming Wayne Rooney for some and Jonny Wilkinson for others, Zach Mercer had much more exotic dreams!

"I didn't dream of becoming a firefighter or walking on the moon. No, I dreamed of becoming an All Black! That was all I had in mind." But how could a kid raised on English grey skies and Scottish drizzle even imagine a destiny wearing the fern jersey? "Actually, my father [Gary Mercer] is New Zealander and he played about twenty times [21, between 1987 and 1993] for the New Zealand national team. So I was lulled into sleep with his stories, his photos and this culture." As a child, Zach Mercer dreamed of a destiny like Kieran Read - "my idol" -, admired Ma'a Nonu, spent his days watching haka videos, supported the Crusaders and nourished himself with his annual holidays in the land of the long white cloud.

"I told him I was Maori."

"Before Covid, we used to go every year. My grandmother and all my dad's family live in Hokitika, in the west of the South Island. I'm very attached to those roots. In fact, I feel as much English as Kiwi, which often surprises my teammates. Last time, Brian [Alainu'uese] asked me where I was from and I told him I was Maori. He stopped and laughed, thinking I was joking, but I said, 'But I'm dead serious .' My dad passed that heritage on to me."

Yet despite his talent for the oval ball and this attachment to New Zealand, representing the All Blacks "was never really an option" .

"Because, to qualify, I would have had to live in New Zealand , which wasn't the case for me. And then, everything happened very quickly for me. At 18, I joined Bath; a few months later, I made my professional debut. Then I became an international at 21... Then there was Montpellier, the desire to get back into the national team, Gloucester... And above all, don't get me wrong: I dreamed of becoming an All Black, but I was so proud to wear the England jersey twice. Representing your country is unique, special."

The Age of Reason

But when it was suggested that his career with the XV de la Rose seemed compromised, and that World Rugby's Rule 8.6 ⁽¹⁾ could allow him to claim a place with the All Blacks, Zach Mercer interrupted: "If the New Zealand Federation called me and said 'We'll make a rule just for you, which would allow you to stay in Toulon and play for us,' then I'd sign up straight away. But I know that this scenario doesn't exist. And me, today, I'm 28 years old, and my one and only dream now is to win trophies with Toulon." Over the years and with reason, Zach Mercer ended up swapping his black dream for a dream in the Red and Black. PI-R.

1. A player who has not played for his national team for three years, and whose parent was born in the country he wishes to represent, may apply to change national teams. The only condition, specific to the New Zealand Federation, is that the player must play in New Zealand.