‘The Most Impressive Moment’: Unassuming Zac Lomax Play that Captivated Former Wallaby Morgan Turinui

While Zac Lomax may not have found the try line nor been able to secure a victory for the Force, his Super Rugby debut left a positive impression on former Wallaby Morgan Turinui. The ex-NRL star is potentially on track for a place in the Wallabies squad later this year.

After an off-season filled with drama, including his status as the State of Origin match-winner and his attempts to join the new rebel competition R360, Lomax finally took to the field for his first professional match since September. He came off the bench during the Force’s narrow 24-22 loss to the Drua in Fiji.

Entering the match in the 60th minute, Lomax delivered a couple of standout moments — notably sparking a line break from turnover ball (check out the video above) and successfully gathering a high kick from Kurtley Beale.

However, it was Lomax’s performance at the breakdown during his brief appearance that particularly caught Turinui’s attention.

“We know his capabilities: he’s going to shine in any open space and perform well in the air,” Turinui stated on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.

“That reaction during the breakdown at the 61st minute was his standout moment. Forget the half break and the pass; it’s his awareness — staying on his feet, maintaining a flat back, and keeping his head up — that shows he’s put in the hard work during training.”

Lomax’s grasp of the ruck was expected to be a significant hurdle, especially after more than a decade away from rugby union.

This was also an area where former Wallaby Suliasi Vunivalu faced challenges during his own transition to the game.

Turinui’s colleague at Stan Sport and former Test player Matt Burke shared his enthusiasm for Lomax’s performance in Fiji.

“He got in there and did what was required,” the World Cup-winning fullback commented.

“I’m eager to see how he performs this weekend against the Crusaders back in Perth.”

Force coach Simon Cron initially planned to introduce Lomax earlier but revealed in the post-match press conference that he had to delay his appearance due to a gastrointestinal bug affecting parts of the team.

“We had a few players feeling unwell, so we had to keep Zaccy on the bench longer than intended,” Cron explained.

“We had considered moving one of our midfielders into the forwards if necessary, so we had to hold off until about the 20-minute mark.”

Cron expressed a desire to involve Lomax more in the game but lamented a few missed chances to unleash the former NRL try-scorer.

“He’s still finding his rhythm,” Cron noted. “He didn’t have many opportunities today, as we didn’t give him the ball enough out wide, so he’ll be disappointed with that.”

Lomax is expected to be part of the matchday squad once again when the Force takes on the Crusaders this Saturday night at 9:55pm AEST.