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 Brisbane’s Lang Park. Named on the bench, Lomax’s transition from rugby league to rugby union follows his release from the Parramatta Eels and a legal dispute over his contract. Known for his performances at Lang Park—including two tries in the 2025 Origin opener and three goals in the 2024 decider—Lomax is no stranger to the venue’s hostile atmosphere. The Western Force, with only one win in six matches this season, will face a Queensland Reds side that has struggled after a recent 52-14 defeat to the Hurricanes, though they remain competitive with four wins from six games. Both teams are preparing for a closely watched clash, with Lomax’s debut adding intrigue to the match. The Reds’ hooker Matt Faessler, recovering from a knee injury, is also vying for selection, while the Force’s coach Simon Cron has praised Lomax’s readiness and potential impact on the game.
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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 Western Force have one win from six matches in 2026, with only one loss by more than 10 points
- The Queensland Reds sit fourth on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder with four wins from six matches
- The Reds lost 52-14 to the Hurricanes in Wellington last weekend after a four-match winning streak
- Western Force head coach Simon Cron stated Lomax is ‘very confident that he’s ready’ and ‘a great player’
- Matt Faessler (Queensland Reds hooker) is available for selection after missing 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 their compensation offer, leading to a court dispute settled in March 2026 with Melbourne abandoning their pursuit
- Lomax switched codes to join the Force to be available for Wallaby selection ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia
- Force coach Simon Cron emphasized Lomax’s readiness and the opportunity to come off the bench to ‘work his way into the game’
- The Reds have a strong Wallaby squad, with Josh Nasser starting the last four matches (three wins, one loss)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- No contradictions found between the two sources
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