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, 26, will come off the bench in the match scheduled for 7:35pm AEDT on Saturday, marking his first appearance in rugby union after leaving the Parramatta Eels without an NRL contract. His transition from rugby league to union was influenced by his desire to be eligible for Wallaby selection ahead of the 2026 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Lomax is no stranger to Lang Park, where he previously scored tries and goals for NSW in State of Origin and helped the underdog Eels defeat Brisbane in 2024. The Reds, currently fourth on the ladder with four wins from six games, have faced a recent slump after a four-match winning streak, including a loss to the Hurricanes. The Force, with only one win in six matches, have shown competitive resilience, with only one loss by more than 10 points. Reds hooker Matt Faessler, returning from injury, expressed excitement about Lomax’s potential debut, noting the former league player’s familiarity with the hostile atmosphere at Lang Park. Both teams are preparing for a high-stakes clash, with the Force aiming to capitalize on Lomax’s experience and the Reds looking to bounce back from their recent defeat.
✓ 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 crucial goals in the 2024 decider at Lang Park
- Lomax's most recent match at Lang Park was in July 2024, where 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' recent performance includes a four-match winning streak (including wins in Fiji and Canberra) before a 52-14 loss to the Hurricanes in Wellington
- Matt Faessler, Reds hooker, is available for selection after missing the last four matches due to a knee injury
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 the compensation, leading to a court dispute 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 2026 Rugby World Cup in Australia
- No additional source-specific details beyond those in consensus_facts; the second ABC article is identical to the first in content
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- No contradictions found between the two sources
Source Articles
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