Born: June 22, 1966 – Tauranga
Test record: 21 Tests (1987-89, 1991, 1993) – 4 tries (16 points)
Tours: 1986 tour of Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1987 tour of Papua New Guinea and Australia, 1989 tour of Britain and France

Ultra-versatile Bay of Plenty product Gary Mercer played 21 Tests for New Zealand and crafted a 15-year professional career in Britain that garnered 383 appearances.

From the Pikao club, Mercer represented his province as an 18-year-old, and was barely 20 when he played four tour matches on the wing for the Kiwis in Australia and Papua New Guinea in 1986. He also featured in New Zealand Māori’s Pacific Cup success in 1986, earning a place in the Team of the Tournament.

Mercer toured with the Kiwis again in 1987, making his Test debut at fullback in a 36-22 win over Papua New Guinea and scoring a try from the wing in a famous 13-6 upset of Australia at Lang Park.

He joined Bradford Northern later that year for a two-season stint, before embarking on a three-season stay at Warrington where he transitioned from predominantly being a centre/winger to the second-row.

Mercer scored two tries in a 66-14 win over Papua New Guinea at Carlaw Park in 1988 and was on the flank for the crucial 12-10 defeat of Great Britain in Christchurch, but he had a difficult day at fullback in New Zealand’s harrowing 25-12 World Cup final loss to Australia at Eden Park.

Returning to the wing for the last two Tests of the 1989 home series against Australia, Mercer crossed for a try in the improved 22-14 loss in the third encounter. He subsequently lined up on the wing for all five Tests of the on the tour of Britain and France.

Mercer missed the Kiwis’ 1990 schedule but was back on deck the following season, coming off the bench in both Tests against France and the first two Tests against Australia (including the 24-8 series-opening upset in Melbourne, as one of only four survivors from the ’87 victory), before lining up in the second-row in the 40-12 loss to the green-and-golds in the decider.

After joining Leeds in the 1992-93 season, he played for the club against the 1993 Kiwi tourists – but made one last Test appearance alongside them just six days later in the second clash with Great Britain, off the bench in a 29-12 loss at Wigan.

Mercer played in Leeds’ 1994 Challenge Cup final loss to Wigan and stayed with the Rhinos until the 1997 Super League season, when he was primarily used at lock. He spent the next three seasons with Halifax (including an extended period as player-coach), and played for Halifax, Warrington and Leeds in a whirlwind 2001 season. The veteran played one game in Castleford’s top side in 2002 and took over as caretaker-coach of the club late in 2004.

Pivoting into rugby union, Mercer became a defence coach, assistant coach and head coach for several Scottish clubs.