Mercer proves quality to Jones
Zach Mercer had no idea that Eddie Jones was watching his latest barnstorming England audition in person until a chorus of jeers reverberated around the Ricoh Arena on Saturday and he glanced up at the big screen. The Bath No8 was surprised to see the England head coach grinning down, apparently enjoying his role as the pantomime villain of Coventry.
“I wasn’t aware he was at the game until everyone started booing and cheering,” Mercer said with a laugh about one of the weirder moments of a very weird afternoon.
Not that it would have made any difference to how he played. Mercer is well used to performing in front of the Australian by now.
The 21-year-old was first called up by Jones this time last year as an apprentice in England’s autumn squad. He was then included again in Jones’s Six Nations squad in the spring before making a try-scoring debut for England against the Barbarians in May.
The former England Under-20 captain is well past merely “banking the experience” of training with the senior players. Mercer is set on trying to win the No8 berth left vacant by Billy Vunipola’s injury and Nathan Hughes’s suspension.
To that end, he performed admirably in this 10-try thriller: strong in the tackle and a constant menace in the loose. One pick-and-go from a Bath five-metre scrum particularly caught the eye, showing both confidence in himself and an ability to make yards in traffic.
“I just found myself with the ball and decided to go,” Mercer said. “That’s the trust I have in the Bath system this year and in myself to get us out of those scenarios.
“I think it shows another aspect of my game – that I’m not just an edge-carrier, I can also carry in the tight as well.”
Mercer’s point was well made. He knows if he is not selected for the game against South Africa in a fortnight, it will almost certainly be because he is not seen as big enough; not able to make the hard yards that a Vunipola or a Hughes or even a Ben Morgan – his main rival for the No8 berth – can. Mercer is a different type of player.
He is known as “Spaghetti Arms” by some of his team-mates because of his comparatively skinny upper body. But at 109kg (17st 2lb), as he has been pointing out a lot recently, he is every bit as big as a Kieran Read or a Jerome Kaino.
Mercer’s captain on Saturday, Charlie Ewels, believes his young team-mate is “more than ready” to fill Vunipola’s sizeable boots.
“He has consistently shown both in Europe and in the Premiership that [these performances are] not one-off,” Ewels said. “He’s consistently carrying the ball and being physical in defence.”
Ewels, also called up by England, is in good nick himself.
The lock scored one of five converted Bath tries on a wild and wacky afternoon on which the visitors went 21-7 up at the break before falling 28-21 behind when Wasps finally clicked into gear at in the second half.
After Bath hit back to go 35-28 ahead, with tries from Ewels and Francois Louw, the excellent Thomas Young crossed for the hosts to level again at 35-35.
It was probably a fair result, although Bath’s replacement fly-half, Alex Davies, had a late chance to win the game.
The 32-year-old, signed from Yorkshire Carnegie in the off season and who doubles as a kicking coach, missed with his effort from out on the right touchline.
“It feels like a loss,” said Ewels, who added that he had no idea about Bath owner Bruce Craig’s decision to demand a replay of the Toulouse game because of poor officiating.
He and Mercer now turn their attentions to England and this week’s training camp in Portugal.
“For me, it’s about enjoying it and putting my hand up for selection,” Mercer said.
“I am looking forward to the challenge.”