Zac Lomax's rugby union debut with Western Force against Queensland Reds at Lang Park
Consensus Summary
Zac Lomax, a former NRL star and NSW State of Origin player, is set to make his highly anticipated Super Rugby Pacific debut this weekend for the Western Force against the Queensland Reds at Lang Park. Lomax, who left the Parramatta Eels after a legal dispute over his release, will come off the bench in the match, which marks his first appearance in rugby union. His transition from rugby league to union was driven by the opportunity to be eligible for Wallaby selection ahead of the 2025 Rugby World Cup. Lomax has a notable history at Lang Park, scoring tries in both State of Origin matches and the 2024 decider, as well as leading the underdog Eels to a surprise win over Brisbane in 2024. The Reds, currently fourth on the ladder, are preparing for the match despite recent struggles, including a heavy loss to the Hurricanes. The Force, though winless in most of their season, have shown competitive moments, and Lomax’s debut could add excitement to their campaign. Both teams have international players, with the Reds facing a potential hooker competition between Matt Faessler (recovering from injury) and Josh Nasser.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Zac Lomax will make his Super Rugby Pacific debut this weekend (Saturday) for the Western Force against the Queensland Reds at Brisbane's Lang Park, kick-off at 7:35pm AEDT
- Lomax is named on the bench for the Western Force in their round-eight clash against the Queensland Reds
- Lomax is a 26-year-old former NRL star who played for the Parramatta Eels and NSW in State of Origin
- Lomax scored two tries for NSW in the 2025 State of Origin opener (18-6 win over Queensland Maroons) and three goals in the 2024 decider at Lang Park
- Lomax's most recent match at Lang Park was in July 2024, when he scored two tries as the underdog Eels upset eventual NRL premiers Brisbane
- The Queensland Reds sit fourth on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder with four wins from six matches played
- The Western Force have just one win from their six matches in 2026, but only one of their five losses was by more than 10 points
- The Reds' hooker Matt Faessler has missed the past four matches due to a knee injury sustained against the Highlanders
- Josh Nasser has started the previous four matches for the Reds, during which they won three and lost one
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Lomax was granted a release from the Parramatta Eels at the end of 2024 to join R360, a delayed rugby union league, with terms preventing him from signing for another NRL team until 2028 unless the Eels accepted compensation
- The Melbourne Storm attempted to sign Lomax but the Eels rejected their compensation offer, leading to a court battle that settled in March 2025 with Melbourne abandoning their pursuit
- Force head coach Simon Cron stated: 'He's a natural athlete — big, strong, fast, powerful. We've done a bit of work with him since he got here, he's very confident that he's ready. We're in a position now where, I think, it's a great opportunity for him to play. He's coming off the bench, so it gives him a chance to work his way into the game.'
- Lomax switched codes to join the Force to be available for Wallaby selection ahead of the 2025 Rugby World Cup in Australia
- No additional source-specific details beyond those in consensus_facts
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- No contradictions found between the two sources
Source Articles
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