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Toulon owner may have given up on signing Zach Mercer

Zach Mercer of Gloucester Rugby warms up prior to the EPCR Challenge Cup match between Gloucester Rugby and Castres Olympique at Kingsholm Stadium on January 19, 2024 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Toulon owner Bernard Lemaitre has moved to pour cold water on a potential move to the Cote d’Azur this summer for England international No.8 Zach Mercer.

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Lemaitre is known to have a soft spot for English players. Kieran Brookes, Jack Singleton, and David Ribbans are all plying their trade at the Stade Mayol this season, while Kyle Sinckler and Lewis Ludlam are moving to the club this summer.

“They respond to the profiles we’re looking for in our recruitment.  We’re trying to have higher expectations on mentality, behaviour and lifestyle of players like this impressive compatriot Dave Ribbans,” said Lemaitre.

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Johnnie Beattie discusses the performances of Zach Mercer last season in the Top 14 | Le French Rugby Pod

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    Johnnie Beattie discusses the performances of Zach Mercer last season in the Top 14 | Le French Rugby Pod

    But a deal for Mercer, 26,  has proved to be more problematic with Gloucester, who lost £393,079 in 2022/2023, demanding a £1 million transfer fee for a player who still has three years left on his contract.

    Montpellier were keen on reuniting with Mercer. He helped them win their first French Championship in 2022, was named in the Top 14 team of the season, and was named Player of the Season.

    French teams have been keeping tabs on Mercer, whom England boss Steve Borthwick has snubbed for both the World Cup and the Six Nations, but Gloucester won’t let him leave on the cheap, however.

    While it’s not unusual for some of the Top 14’s big guns to pay transfer fees, Lemaitre feels that it’s clearly too much on this occasion when he has other targets, such as Antoine Frisch, in his sights.

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    “Mercer? Who don’t dream of this type of player who, in addition to his tank profile, plays behind him, animates and accelerates the game?

    “It’s rare. It is, therefore, normal that we are interested in it. Now, there has two or three years left on his contract with Gloucester. That makes things difficult,” Lemaitre told the French media.

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    Great moments in Lions tour history – JPR’s drop goal and the All Blacks' brutal revenge

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    JWH 6 hours ago
    'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

    Do you hear yourself? Do you have any concept of world view? Have you tried looking into why people call Ireland ‘arrogant’? Obviously not.


    We started calling you arrogant when you called our captain a ‘shit Richie McCaw’. In New Zealand. On our turf. Don’t think that kind of behaviour really calls for respect, does it.


    NZ don’t really talk ourselves up, if anything the rugby does it for us. No kiwi goes in the media and says: ‘We are gonna win the RWC’. However, I have found many instance of IRISH media saying that the Irish should win, without a doubt. THAT is disrespectful.


    The All Blacks have played good rugby, even some of the best rugby ever, at many points in history, but I don’t think you could find a single instance of one of those players, or the NZ media, saying that they should whitewash their opponents. Ever.


    Now, onto your analysis. Ireland DID choke the QF. They beat the champions, they were ranked first coming into it, a lot of players at the peaks of their powers. Its hard to say that they didn’t choke. Obviously, their preparation was just not as good as NZ, and thats all there really is to it.


    If Ireland had repsected that ABs team and that QF more, maybe they would’ve prepared properly for it and won. But they didn’t.


    Maybe if Ireland had won their QF last RWC, they wouldn’t have to be in the same pool as SA and Scotland. I mean, its called a draw for a reason. NZ got third last RWC, so of course they should get a reasonable pool, and they were ranked pretty highly too. If you want to talk about easy pools, look no further than Pool 3 with England, Australia, Fiji, and Georgia I think?


    Now, obviously you don’t remember how that QF ended, so I’ll go ahead and rectify that. Ireland reclaimed the ball off kickoff and marched for 20ish phases into the opposition half. Savea then won a turnover, but the referee refused to give it, so play went on. Finally, at the NZ 22, after not giving up a single penatly in 25 phases of hard defense, Sam Whitelock, the most capped All Black of all time, wins the game with an incredible steal.


    Now, NZ players having a go at Ireland. Do you cry when you get hit after making the first swing? We all know Sexton is a prick on the field, its just the truth. And Ioane never backs down from a clash, so he thought he should humble a player who has never won an international knockout game who thought he was all that. Don’t really see the issue, its poetic justice really.

    83 Go to comments
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