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Gloucester No8 Zach Mercer sweating over verdict of scan on ankle injury
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.
“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.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Good summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
1 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
1 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
5 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
8 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
8 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
5 Go to comments