Faletau tips talented Mercer to shine for Bath on Premiership stage

0 Taulupe Faletau: Tough start. Taulupe Faletau has given his seal of approval to the “incredible talent” who could emerge among this season’s eyecatching Aviva Premiership performers.

Big names from across the rugby world will head a castlist that promises another blockbusting Premiership production. The opening scenes will be played out tomorrow when title holders Exeter head to Gloucester and Newcastle host Worcester, while Faletau and Bath face an immediate test of their credentials with a Sunday afternoon showdownagainstleicesterat Welford Road.

Wales star Faletau will be pivotal to Bath’s hopes of success on the domestic stage and in this season’s European Champions Cup. But it is the continued emergence of 20-yearold Zach Mercer that excites him as much as the challenges ahead.

Current England Under-20 captain Mercer, whose father Gary was a New Zealand rugby league international, has already made a mark in Bath colours, strengthening backrow riches that include the likes of Lions Test No 8 Faletau and South Africa Test flanker Francois Louw.

“He is an incredible talent,” said Faletau. “And he is willing to learn, which is huge. He is only going to get better. He has got the right people around him – the coaches, the other back-row players here at Bath – and we will try to help him as much as we can.

“I don’t see why he can’t have a big future in the game. He is going in the right direction. Just get him on the pitch and give him the ball!”

Faletau has already featured for Bath in their pre-season programme, playing the first half of last Friday’s friendly against Leinster in Dublin, and is relishing the weekend clash with Leicester.

“We are straight into it – it’s a tough start with Leicester away and then Saracens at home – but if we can get the results we want in those games, it will put us in good steadfortherestoftheseason,” he said. “We want to go into the season with the goals of making the play-offs, and the same in the Champions Cup.

“Last season was disappointing in that we slipped up in terms of the play-offs.”