Lomax’s start to rugby has been smoother than those of Folau and Suaalii

April 20, 2026 — 5:45am

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

Save this article for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.

Few could have foreseen that omitting the Western Force would dampen the Super Round weekend in Christchurch next week, but that’s how it has turned out.

Cross-code recruit Zac Lomax has stardust, and the simultaneous return of Wallabies winger Dylan Pietsch has turned the Force into one of the competition’s most watchable teams in recent weeks.

The pair combined superbly in the Force’s upset-but-not-really-an-upset win against the Crusaders in Perth on Saturday, with lineout monster Jeremy Williams all over the visitors’ work at the set piece.

Lomax wasn’t perfect against the Crusaders, but on his starting debut, he provided more evidence of his extraordinary aerial ability, and he appears to have fitted in seamlessly at the Force. To my eyes, Lomax has looked more comfortable in his early days of rugby than either Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii or Israel Folau did before him.

He was replaced after 59 minutes – presumably as load management – but he left everyone wanting more, and even the Crusaders players looked happy to be sharing the contest with him.

There will be bumps in the road, but Lomax’s mid-season entry into rugby has been exemplary.

The big change in Ben Donaldson

The Force got a favourable call in the........

© Brisbane Times