Zach Mercer will relaunch his England career this week after being named in England’s first Rugby World Cup training squad.
The 25-year-old has won his two caps in 2018 but has been off limits for England since moving to Montpellier in 2021.
Mercer will join Gloucester this summer however, and England boss Steve Borthwick has seized the first chance to pick the former Bath No 8.
Harlequins duo Joe Marler and Danny Care have been drafted into the England training group, with players from the four Premiership semi-finalists not yet available due to mandatory rest periods.
Mercer’s availability offsets the absence of Sam Simmonds, who has ruled himself out of World Cup selection after a recent talk with England boss Borthwick.
Exeter No 8 Simmonds has been overlooked so far by Borthwick in the new boss’ England tenure, and will join Montpellier this summer, to replace Mercer.
Montpellier boss Philippe Saint-Andre rates Simmonds and Mercer as England’s two best No 8s, but Borthwick has opted not to utilise the Chiefs loose forward since replacing Eddie Jones at the Red Rose helm.
Mercer now has an immediate chance to stake his World Cup claim, with Billy Vunipola attending the training cup but still recovering from a knee injury.
Alex Dombrandt has been Borthwick’s mainstay at No 8 so far, but Mercer was named player of the season in France’s unforgiving Top 14 in his first campaign at Montpellier and now offers strong competition.
Former Wasps lock Joe Launchbury has missed out on selection for this camp due to a minor injury.
The powerful second row will join Harlequins next term after a stint in Japan, and will push hard for World Cup selection.
Bath lock Charlie Ewels has won himself a spot in Borthwick’s 28-man squad, having profited from a loan stint with the Bulls in South Africa to find full fitness after injury.
The four-strong contingent of former London Irish stars are understood to have requested to be listed as Exiles players in this England squad.
The Exiles only went into administration last week, and Tom Pearson, Henry Arundell and Will Joseph have been forced to scramble for new deals.
Ollie Hassell-Collins completes that Irish quartet, but had his summer move to Leicester Tigers confirmed some months ago.
Flanker Pearson will hope to win his first Test cap across England’s World Cup warm-up matches in August, after two standout seasons in the Premiership with Irish.
England initial 28-man Rugby World Cup training squad:
Forwards: J Blamire (Newcastle), A Dombrandt (Harlequins), T Dunn, C Ewels (both Bath), E Genge (Bristol), T Hill (Bath), J Marler (Harlequins), Z Mercer (Montpellier), B Obano (Bath), T Pearson (London Irish), V Rapava-Ruskin (Gloucester), K Sinckler (Bristol), W Stuart, S Underhill (both Bath), J Walker (Harlequins).
Backs: H Arundell (London Irish), D Care (Harlequins), J Cokanasiga (Bath), O Hassell-Collins, W Joseph (both London Irish), O Lawrence (Bath), J Marchant (Harlequins), J May (Gloucester), C Murley (Harlequins), H Randall (Bristol), H Slade Exeter), M Smith (Harlequins), B Spencer (Bath).
