Ah sing it, Charlie Dickens, you English outside-centre famous for slicing them up the middle, one more time for the road!

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair ...”

Zac Lomax has quit rugby league and joined the Western Force rugby franchise.Credit: Ben Symons

The best of times, of course, continued on Monday with Rugby Australia signing Zac Lomax, and the subsequent hilarious carry-on by the denizens of league. They were most incensed by just three words Lomax threw out, while departing, and the first two of those words were NOT “Garn” and “get”.

For those who’ve joined us late, Lomax has been a fabulous winger for two NRL clubs, not to mention NSW and the Kangaroos. After enough recent legal carry-on to kill a brown dog, involving the Eels, the Storm and the NRL, Lomax signed a contract to join the Western Force for two years, making him eligible for the Wallabies. The three words in question, in his statement released via RA came at the middle of this sentence. Tell ’em, Zac:

“Like any player, the dream of one day representing the Wallabies on a truly international stage, and potentially competing at a Rugby World Cup, is a powerful motivation.”

Can you spot the three culprits?

Yes, they are “truly international stage.”

Oh, the infamy! The outrage! Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!

My friend and yours, Mark Geyer was soon steaming in from the Paddington end.

© The Sydney Morning Herald