{{Short description|English rugby union player}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Tom Mercey | image = | birth_name = Thomas Mercey | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|6|15|df=y}} | birth_place = Lewisham, London, England | height = {{convert|1.80|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | weight = {{convert|113|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.premiershiprugby.com/premiership/rugby/northampton_saints.php?section=1 |title=Aviva Premiership Rugby – Northampton Saints |work=web page |publisher=Premier Rugby |accessdate=22 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120202052702/http://www.premiershiprugby.com/premiership/rugby/northampton_saints.php?section=1 |archivedate=2 February 2012}}</ref> | school = Dulwich College | university = Birkbeck, University of London | relatives = | ru_position = Tighthead prop | ru_currentteam = Northampton Saints | youthyears1 = 1993–2003 | youthyears2 = 2003–2005 | youthclubs1 = Blackheath F.C. | youthclubs2 = Saracens Academy | years1 = 2005–2010 | years2 = 2010–2016 | clubs1 = Saracens | clubs2 = Northampton | apps1 = 29 | apps2 = 88 | points1 = 5 | points2 = 0 | repyears1 = 2003 | repyears2 = 2005–2006 | repyears3 = 2006 | repyears4 = 2007 – | repteam1 = {{nruu|England|16}} | repteam2 = {{nruu|England|19}} | repteam3 = {{nruu|England|21}} | repteam4 = England Saxons | repcaps2 = 12 | repcaps3 = 2 | repcaps4 = 9 | reppoints2 = 0 | reppoints3 = 0 | reppoints4 = 0 | clubupdate = 7 March 2010 | repupdate = 7 February 2010 }}
'''Thomas Mercey''' (born 15 June 1987 in Lewisham, London) is a retired rugby union footballer who plays at prop for Northampton Saints in the Aviva Premiership.
In 2007 he made his debut for the England Saxons having already represented England at Under 21, Under 19, and Under 16 levels.
==Early life== Mercey was born 15 June 1987 in the Tower Hamlets borough of London, England. He was educated at Dulwich College who he represented at rugby as well as local National Division One side Blackheath F.C., before joining the Guinness Premiership side Saracens Academy system. While at school he represented England at Under 16 level.<ref name="rfuprofile">{{cite news |title=RFU Profile |publisher=Rugby Football Union|date=1 August 2007 |url=http://www.rfu.com/SquadsAndPlayers/EnglandSaxons/TomMercey.aspx |accessdate=7 November 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090929095621/http://www.rfu.com/SquadsAndPlayers/EnglandSaxons/TomMercey.aspx |archivedate=29 September 2009}}</ref>
==Club career==
===Saracens 2005–2010=== Having progressed through the Saracens Academy Mercey began to take part in the main squad in the 2004–05 season, taking part in Saracens 'A' team sides.<ref name="saracenssigning">{{cite news|title=Academy 11 named in 2004/05 squad |publisher=Saracens |date=30 June 2004 |url=http://www.saracens.com/news/view.php?Id=924 |accessdate=7 November 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517070148/http://www.saracens.com/news/view.php?Id=924 |archivedate=17 May 2011}}</ref>
This progression continued in the following season when he became a full-time member of the Saracens squad while still part of the Academy system on 1 July 2005.<ref name="saracensfulltime">{{cite news |title=Hynard takes charge of Academy |publisher=Saracens |date=3 June 2005 |url=http://www.saracens.com/news/view.php?Id=1739 |accessdate=7 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517070159/http://www.saracens.com/news/view.php?Id=1739 |archive-date=17 May 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
On 21 January 2006 Mercey made his debut for the Saracens first team in a Heineken Cup game against Biarritz Olympique.
The 2006–07 season saw Mercey make his Guinness Premiership debut and he went on to make four appearances, all from the replacements bench, and 13 first team appearances in all competitions.<ref name="saracensprofile"/><ref name="gpprofile">{{cite news |title=Guinness Premiership Profile |publisher=Guinness Premiership |date=7 November 2007 |url=http://www.guinnesspremiership.com/stats/profiles.php?player=9846&includeref=dynamic|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124223756/http://www.guinnesspremiership.com/stats/profiles.php?player=9846&includeref=dynamic|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 January 2013|accessdate=7 November 2007 }}</ref>
The 2007–08 season saw Mercey making regular first team appearances, including his first in a starting line up for a Guinness Premiership game.<ref name="saracensprofile">{{cite web|url=http://www.saracens.com/news/first-team-squad/view.php?Id=177|title=Saracens Profile|publisher=Saracens|date=7 November 2007|accessdate=7 November 2007|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925113053/http://www.saracens.com/news/first-team-squad/view.php?Id=177|archivedate=25 September 2009}}</ref>
===Northampton Saints 2010–=== On 25 February 2010, Northampton Saints announced they had signed Mercey for the 2010–2011 season.<ref>{{ cite news |title=Saints sign Saxons prop| publisher=Northampton Saints |date=25 February 2010 | url=http://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/3831_6435.php |accessdate=25 February 2010 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>
Mercey was injured throughout the first part of the 2012/13 season but his comeback coincided with an injury to Brian Mujati and therefore Mercey started several games in a row, not scoring but turning in some good performances.
In 2014 Mercey played as a replacement as Northampton beat Saracens to win the Premiership final.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/27590375|title=Premiership final: Saracens 20–24 Northampton Saints|date=31 May 2014|accessdate=24 March 2019|publisher=BBC}}</ref>
==International career== Mercey was first selected for England U19 duty a year ahead of many of his peers, which included four appearances in the 2005 IRB Under 19 World Championships<ref name="rfuprofile"/> as well as outings in the 2004–05 U19 Six Nations.
Mercey was again called up for England U19 duty in the 2006 World Championships,<ref name="England U19s to take on world">{{cite news |title=England U19s to take on world |publisher=Rugby Football Union|date=20 March 2006 |url=http://www.rfu.com/News/2006/March/News%20Articles/EnglandU19sToTakeOnWorld.aspx?a=1&y=2006 |accessdate=15 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925222203/http://www.rfu.com/News/2006/March/News%20Articles/EnglandU19sToTakeOnWorld.aspx?a=1&y=2006 |archive-date=25 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> before once again taking a step up ahead of his peers to represent the Under 21 side at the 2006 IRB Under 21 World Championships featuring in winning sides against Fiji and Wales.<ref name="rfuprofile"/><ref name="England U21 13-11 Wales U21">{{cite news |title=England U21 13–11 Wales U21 |work=BBC Sport|date=21 June 2006 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/5094716.stm |access-date=15 June 2010 }}</ref>
At a national level he moved on from age group rugby to represent England Saxons in the Six Nations 'A' tournament, making his debut against Italy 'A' in February 2007.<ref name="rfuprofile"/> His performance saw him soon in Saxons colours just two months later, as he appeared in every game in the Saxon's victorious 2007 Churchill Cup campaign.<ref name="rfuprofile"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160122065253/http://www.northamptonsaints.co.uk/4986_4994.php?player=9846&includeref=dynamic Northampton Saints profile] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090925113053/http://www.saracens.com/news/first-team-squad/view.php?Id=177 Saracens profile] * [https://archive.today/20130124223756/http://www.guinnesspremiership.com/stats/profiles.php?player=9846&includeref=dynamic Guinness Premiership profile] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090929095621/http://www.rfu.com/SquadsAndPlayers/EnglandSaxons/TomMercey.aspx RFU Profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mercey, Tom}} Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Birkbeck, University of London Category:English rugby union players Category:Northampton Saints players Category:People educated at Dulwich College Category:People from Lewisham Category:Rugby union players from the London Borough of Lewisham Category:Rugby union props Category:Saracens F.C. players