Gary Mercer
Personal information | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Gary Ivan Mercer | |||||
Born | New Zealand | 22 June 1966|||||
Playing information | ||||||
Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | |||||
Position | Wing, Second-row | |||||
Club | ||||||
Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
Pikiao (BOPRL) | ||||||
1987–89 | Bradford Northern | |||||
1990–91 | Warrington | |||||
1992–97 | Leeds Rhinos | 43 | 0 | 0 | 172 | |
1998–01 | Halifax Blue Sox | 76 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 64 |
2001 | Warrington Wolves | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
2001 | Leeds Rhinos | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2002 | Castleford Tigers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 101 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 244 | |
Representative | ||||||
Years | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | P |
Bay of Plenty | ||||||
Northern Districts | ||||||
New Zealand Māori | ||||||
1987–93 | New Zealand | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
1988 | Rest of the World | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Coaching information | ||||||
Rugby league | ||||||
Club | ||||||
Years | Team | Gms | W | D | L | W% |
1999–00 | Halifax RLFC | 58 | 22 | 1 | 35 | 38 |
2004 | Castleford Tigers | 21 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 29 |
Total | 79 | 28 | 1 | 50 | 35 | |
Rugby union | ||||||
Representative | ||||||
Years | Team | Gms | W | D | L | W% |
2004-12 2012- |
Glasgow Warriors Scottish Rugby Academy |
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Source: RLP |
Gary Ivan Mercer (born 22 June 1966) is a New Zealand rugby league and rugby union coach and former professional footballer. A New Zealand international representative player, he has spent most of his career in Britain both playing and coaching. He was a former defence coach of Glasgow Warriors and a former coach at the SRU working in their Scottish Rugby Academy.[1]He is currently head coach of Biggar RFC.
Playing career
In his long career he has represented the New Zealand Kiwis within rugby league and New Zealand Māori sides and has played for the Leeds Rhinos, Bradford Northern, Warrington Wolves, Castleford Tigers and Halifax.[2]
County Cup final appearances
Gary Mercer played Fullback in Bradford Northern's 12-12 draw with Castleford in the 1987 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1987–88 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday Saturday 17 October 1987, and played Centre, i.e. number 4, in the 11-2 victory over Castleford in the 1987 Yorkshire Cup final replay during the 1987–88 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Saturday Saturday 31 October 1987.
Regal Trophy final appearances
Gary Mercer played Left-Second-row, i.e. number 11, in Warrington's 12-2 victory over Bradford Northern in the 1990–91 Regal Trophy final during the 1990–91 season at Headingley Stadium, Leeds on Saturday 12 January 1991.
Coaching career
Rugby League
Mercer was also the player-coach at Halifax and Castleford.[3][4]
Rugby Union
Glasgow Warriors
Mercer switched to Rugby Union and became the defence coach for the Glasgow Warriors from June 2005[1] to June 2012[5] leaving the Warriors at the same time as Sean Lineen. While he was there praise was heaped on his defensive coaching.[6]
Scotland
He became the Scotland Under-20 assistant coach and worked with the Under-21 side.[7]He then worked for the Scottish Rugby Academy.[8]
Yorkshire Carnegie
He left the Scottish academy in August 2014[9] to have a brief spell running Yorkshire Carnegie.[10]
Glasgow Hawks
Mercer is now the Head Coach of Glasgow Hawks.[11]
Family
Mercer currently lives with a son, Zach, a daughter, Clara, and his wife, Karen, in Glasgow, Scotland.. He also has twin daughters who are currently living in Noosa, Australia. Gary has 4 brothers and played alongside his older brother Danny for Central Rugby League in the Bay of Plenty.
References
- 1 2 https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/gary-mercer/82/751/61b
- ↑ Mercer willing to play on BBC Sport, 3 April 2001
- ↑ Hanley in surprise return with Castleford The Guardian, 20 May 2004
- ↑ Mercer coaxed out of retirement BBC Sport, 18 April 2002
- ↑ "The Shock Of The Swap". scottishrugbyblog.co.uk.
- ↑ "Exclusive: Gary Mercer". scottishrugby.org.
- ↑ "Glasgow Warriors - Gary Mercer". glasgowwarriors.com.
- ↑ "Mercer to depart Scottish Rugby". scottishrugby.org.
- ↑ "Yorkshire Carnegie appoint Gary Mercer as head coach". Yorkshire Post.
- ↑ "BBC Sport - Yorkshire Carnegie: Gary Mercer leaves Championship club". BBC Sport.
- ↑ "Gary Mercer - 1st XV - Glasgow Hawks RFC". glasgowhawks.com.
External links
- Profile at leedsrugby
- Warrington’s World Cup heroes – Gary Mercer
- Player profile at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk
- Coach profile at thecastlefordtigers.co.uk