Reds head coach Les Kiss and fly-half Carter Gordon expect new Western Force flyer Zac Lomax to make a successful transition from the NRL to rugby union.
Earlier this month, Lomax made the switch to the 15-a-side code after signing a two-year contract with Rugby Australia and the Force.
The former Australia Kangaroos and New South Wales State of Origin representative was expected to make his union debut in the Force‘s clash with the Chiefs last week, but that did not happen.
However, the Perth-based outfit’s head coach, Simon Cron, has now included Lomax on his replacements bench for Saturday’s derby with the Reds in Brisbane.
Gordon and Kiss not strangers to rugby league
Gordon and Kiss are no strangers to rugby league with the Wallabies playmaker making the switch to the 13-a-side game when he joined NRL outfit the Gold Coast Titans in 2024.
A spinal injury limited Gordon’s time to just one appearance at the end of the season before he made his union return by joining the Reds ahead of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
Gordon is curious to see how Lomax utilises his rugby league skills with the Force.
“He’s a great player, you’ve seen what he’s done in NRL and [State of] Origins, so it’s going to be exciting to see him out there,” he said.
“I’m not sure [how he’s game will translate], it’ll be a working process for him. “How quickly he can pick up the game is going to be determined on how hard he works on it.
‘He’ll definitely be up for it’
“I wouldn’t say the contact level is too crazy different. [Zac] Lomax is quite a big body, so he’ll definitely be up for it.”
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Meanwhile, Kiss, who represented Australia at international level in league before moving into a coaching career in union, believes Lomax will shine once he picks up some of union’s subtleties.
“He’s a quality player in league and I’m sure he’s going to have his good moments. It just takes a long time to learn the nuances of the game around the ruck and the backfield,” said Kiss, who will replace Joe Schmidt as the Wallabies’ head coach later this year.
“He’s got to expect [the high ball]. I’m pretty sure they’re going to use a high ball and get him to chase as well, because that was one of his key strengths for sure.
“They’ve got good coaches at the Force and I think that’s going to be critical for him just to learn the game from the ground up in terms of the key roles he’s got to put in play. He’s quite studious himself and has been watching a lot of games.
“I think it doesn’t come easy, but you’ve just got to stick at it.”
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