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Zach Mercer, Billy Vunipola again linked with Top 14 moves – report
By Liam Heagney
Out-of-favour England No8s Zach Mercer and Billy Vunipola have both again been linked with transfers to the Top 14 for the 2024/25 season. Mercer, the French league’s player of the year in 2022 when Montpellier were crowned champions, hasn’t been able to get a lasting look-in with Steve Borthwick’s Test set-up after he was initially convinced to return to the Gallagher Premiership by Eddie Jones to try for the Rugby World Cup squad.
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Jones had twice capped Mercer when he was at Bath before his switch to Montpellier but the Australian’s sacking in December 2022 hampered Mercer’s Test recall chances and his only Borthwick selection was for a couple of weeks of training last June before the official World Cup training squad was named.
He has been surplus to international requirements since then and has now been touted for a switch to Toulon if the stumbling block of a hefty compensation fee for Gloucester, with whom he signed a long-term deal, is sorted out.
Vunipola, meanwhile, was chosen for the World Cup by Borthwick but has been excluded for the current Guinness Six Nations campaign and it is now being reported that he is allegedly set for talks in the coming days with Montpellier.
A Midi Olympique report read: “Still barred from the national team, Zach Mercer is wondering about his future across the Channel and thinks of returning to France. RCT are said to be very interested, but his club Gloucester are asking for hefty compensation.
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“According to our information, the Englishman’s CV has been circulated in several Top 14 clubs. The Montpellier club would have sounded him out for a possible return, but the player would not have followed up on this request. The RCT is also said to have shown strong interest in Mercer, to the point of making him a good offer.
“Problem? When he signed with the Cherry and Whites, Mercer signed a long-term, three- or four-year contract. That’s why Gloucester are asking for the tidy sum of €1million to release their back-row who, as he did at Montpellier, is putting in a string of top-flight performances with Gloucester, who are still in a disappointing second-to-last place in the Premiership.
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“For its part, Montpellier is also continuing its recruitment campaign. After failing to sign Australian XIII star Joey Manu and Scottish centre Huw Jones, who eventually extended his contract with his Glasgow club, the Herault club are looking to strengthen its back row.
“In this sense, the CV of another Englishman, Saracens player Billy Vunipola would be of great interest to Montpellier scouts. According to our information, a meeting between the two parties could take place in the coming days.”
