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Gloucester No8 Zach Mercer sweating over verdict of scan on ankle injury

Zach Mercer of Gloucester Rugby and Nick Tompkins of Saracens race for the ball during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Gloucester Rugby and Saracens at Kingsholm Stadium on October 27, 2023 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

Zach Mercer will discover in the next 24 hours if the impressive start to his Gloucester career in the Gallagher Premiership has been halted by an ankle injury sustained in the 24-3 home defeat by Saracens.

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England international Mercer, who has joined the club from Montpellier where he had won the Top 14 Player of the Season award during his impressive period in France, carried the ball 44 times in Gloucester’s opening season victories over Newcastle and Harlequins. He came close to scoring a try against Saracens but lost the ball going over the line and also picked up the injury that will now undergo a scan to determine the extent of the injury.

George Skivington, the Gloucester director of rugby, admits his lack of knowledge of Mercer’s injury history makes it difficult to guess the possible outcome and said: “The honest truth about Zach’s injury is that we just don’t know. We are investigating it and it is harder with a new player because you don’t have a track record to bounce off. We will know in the next 24-36 hours after a scan on the ankle. The injury needed to settle down and then we will find out. Zach is a very positive guy and bounces around and he doesn’t get down beat about anything.

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Jacques Nienaber and Siya Kolisi speak about the Malmesbury Missile and his Man of the Match performance in the World Cup Final

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      Jacques Nienaber and Siya Kolisi speak about the Malmesbury Missile and his Man of the Match performance in the World Cup Final

      “I am not getting flustered by the injuries in the squad and we are getting players back soon, including Ruan Ackermann (shoulder and neck) who I spoke to today about his injury progress.”

      Despite injury worries, Skivington will not be following other Premiership clubs who have already brought back their World Cup players. England wing Jonny May and the Argentine trio of Matias Alemanno, Mayco Vivas and Santiago Carreras have been given time to recover from their knock out rugby at the tournament. Fiji’s Albert Tuisue is already back and will fill the void created by Mercer’s injury when they travel to Sale on Friday night.

      Skivington added: “We are not bringing our World Cup players straight in and will give them some time with their families. I am aware most clubs are chucking everyone back in (to the Premiership games) but our guys will get a rest. There is lots of stuff I will get right and wrong this season and other people will get right or wrong. The World Cup is long campaign and I just wanted to give our guys the chance to see their loved ones and come back in fully charged.

      “Jonny has announced his international retirement and he has been consistently good for England for a long time and you have to say well done. Jonny has been in and out for all the time I have been here and ironically we won’t clash with Six Nations this season but he will be in the building all the time.

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      “We made seven line breaks against Saracens and as a stats game you would ask how did we lose. We got held up three times and the line out didn’t function and the finishing accuracy wasn’t good enough. Sale lost at Exeter but we know they will be very physical and deserved to reach the final last season.”

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      RedWarrior 4 hours ago
      The reason given by Steve Borthwick for latest England setback

      So England are allowed to have a tsunami whinge fest about the ref but if an Irish fan points out that some decisions hurt Ireland also they are being petulant.

      Honestly some English supporters are all politeness until they lose then the claws and fangs come out.

      Ok here we go, not complaints just pointing out where England got away with roul play:

      1: M Smiths headbutt on James Lowe that started the fracas with Stewart. If the ref spots that in time then thats a second yellow if not a straight red for Smith. Probably worth another 14 points with England gassed so a 41-10 final scoreline?

      2: Itoje's several stamps on Hansens instep in a clear attempt to damage metatarsals. Straight red or if he is lucky, 10 in the bin.

      3. Currys block on Baird to create a gap that Smith used to break the line. Penalty and possession for Ireland deep in England 22 with score at 0:0.

      4: The correct decision for the Cunningham South dangerous tackle was a yellow. Lowe blew it by confronting him. The ref didn't give South or Lowe a yellow. The ref couldn't give Lowe a yellow anyway as the TMO would have informed him that m Smith alone started the previosu fracas and its not unreasonable for a player to react to being headbutted.


      One last thing missing from English analysis

      How is coming over to Dublin acting like you own the place, committing filthy cowardly off the ball cheap shots working out for you? I mean you clearly dont care that we think your team are a crowd of a$$holes but...... rugby wise, how is riling the Irish team to focus and get the best out of themselves against such unpleasant opposition working for you on the scoreboard?


      Food for thought old boy!!!!

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