Zac Lomax might just have arrived in Super Rugby, but already the code-hopper has made a giant impression.
A week after delivering an eye-catching, 20-minute cameo off the bench in Fiji, the 26-year-old scored a try, set up another, and showed his prowess in the air during the Western Force’s stunning 31-26 come-from-behind victory over the Crusaders in Perth.
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Down by 19 points after 22 minutes, the Force pulled off one of their greatest comebacks during their 20-year history by knocking over the reigning champions.
Harry Johnson-Holmes put the home side in front in the 71st minute, as the injury-plagued Test prop, who was celebrating his 100th Super Rugby, burrowed over from close range.
In a true team performance, where captain Jeremy Williams once again led the way and winger Dylan Pietsch scored twice, it then took until the final seconds – and a marathon 22-phase defensive effort – for the Force to seal the victory, as returning Test flanker Carlo Tizzano got on the ball to win a penalty for the home side.
By winning their third match this season, the Force, who remain second-last in the 11-team competition, became the third straight Australian side to beat the Crusaders this year, after the Brumbies (50-24) and Reds (31-26).
Now, the Waratahs, who kept their top-six hopes alive by beating Moana Pasifika 29-14, can make it a clean sweep over the New Zealand heavyweights on Friday night as Dan McKellar’s side prepares to open Super Round in Christchurch against the host side.
But it was Lomax’s performance that once again dominated the in-game discussion as the athletic 190cm back started for the first time and showed exactly why Rugby Australia was thrilled to benefit from his messy exit from the NRL.
Zac Lomax of the Force celebrates a try during the round 10 Super Rugby match between Western Force and Crusaders at HBF Park, on April 18, 2026, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
In a game where tactical kicking is more prevalent than ever before, Lomax showed he can be the biggest weapon out wide for an Australian side since Israel Folau dominated the skyline for the Waratahs and Wallabies.
The former NSW Blues matchwinner won possession back for the Force on three occasions and was a constant threat all evening against a Crusaders not short of Test quality out wide.
It was no surprise that Force coach Simon Cron was quietly smirking as he was asked what kind of weapon Lomax might prove to be in the 15-person game.
“Yeah, pretty good,” he said, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
“There was a plan for us to try and use him as best as we could; it’s a skillset of his that is elite.
“He’s only been with us for a short period of time. We would have loved to have him for longer, even pre-season, but, like you saw tonight, we put a couple of things in place to get him in the air, and he was pretty close to scoring another try at the end of the first half.”
Lomax also played his part in a stunning backline try to Henry Robertson, as he combined brilliantly with Pietsch and fullback Mac Grealy to leave the Crusaders at sixes and sevens during the Force’s first of five tries.
After Robertson’s second try early in the second half put the wheels in motion for their epic comeback, Lomax then levelled up the score just before his exit on the hour mark as he dived over following another brilliant Ben Donaldson cut-out pass.
A weight-relieving pressure for the code-hopper?
“I think he’s good at scoring,” Cron quipped. “He can finish with the line in front of him.”
Lomax was by no means perfect. He turned over possession twice after taking high balls, but his performance was yet another pleasant surprise following his high-profile cross-code move.
“He had a lot of great touches,” Cron added.
“I wrote down a couple of times, when you catch the ball, don’t try and offload it. In rugby league, they get held up and they offload – they’re just different games.
“He was brilliant in the air, scored a great try, he’s finding his feet, he’s a big strong man, and he’s so keen to learn. He adds a really dominant voice in our backline. And, as you saw in the air, he’s only going to get better.”
Lomax’s Union debut ends in defeat | 00:48
The victory was the perfect end to a fascinating round of Super Rugby, which started with royalty watching on as the Waratahs rallied to beat Moana Pasifika with a bonus point on Friday night in front of just 10727 fans.
It also saw the Brumbies, who are in fourth spot on 25 points, suffer another frustrating loss at home, as Stephen Larkham’s men lost pace with the New Zealand’s top three sides – the Chiefs (31), Hurricanes (31) and Blues (29) – by slipping up against the Drua. The Drua’s 33-28 win was their first victory away from home since round one, 2023 – an incredible 1148 days between drinks.
The defeat means next Saturday’s Anzac Day clash against the Hurricanes, who were pipped by the Chiefs 22-17, takes on even more importance.
Should they beat the Hurricanes, they will become the first Australian side to ever chalk up five victories in the one regular season against New Zealand opposition after earlier putting away the Crusaders, Blues, Chiefs and Highlanders.