New Zealand Rugby League legend backs NRL convert Zac Lomax to rock Super Rugby

Lomax, who has played 134 NRL games, recently exited his four year contract with the Parramatta Eels to explore opportunities outside of the NRL, after being linked heavily to the R360 breakaway league.

In December 2025, the winger hired a lawyer to try and receive a full release from his Parramatta contract, in order to join the Melbourne Storm for the 2026 season, but the Eels announced they would take their former player to court, over claiming that there was a clause in his release stating he could not play for another NRL team until 2028, when his original contract was up.

After losing the case, he signed for the Western Force in Super Rugby on a two year deal, which could see him play for the Wallabies in their home World Cup in 2027.

David Kidwell, who played 241 NRL games, as well as representing New Zealand at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, praised that “he’s an athlete: he’s played Origin, played for his country. Coming from a rugby league background into rugby union: it is a lot more technical than it is in rugby league, but I think he’ll be fine.”

He continued: “The biggest adjustment is the breakdown, which we don’t have in rugby league, and obviously the lineouts, and the structure within that and how we defend that.”

With NRL superstars Mark Nawaqanitawase and Angus Crichton joining rugby union clubs ahead of the 2027 season, the Wallabies will have three rugby league superstars at their disposal for their World Cup campaign.

Kidwell complimented that: “They’re athletes obviously, and they’ve played at the top of the game. They both played Origin, played for their countries. So they’re both attacking weapons, good in the air. I think that’ll be something that they’ll look forward to, especially Zac Lomax, if he plays wing. I’m not too sure where they’ll play him. But then obviously with the game, the contestable kicks are going to be a big part.”

With a handful of NRL and Super Rugby talent switching codes over the recent years, it begs the question: is the gap between Union and League closing?

“I think with the attacking structures of rugby, with front door, back doors and runarounds is a little bit of league, and then how we defend that: it’s obviously a little bit of league as well,” Kidwell dissected.

“But we’ve got to be careful that it’s still rugby union and we’ve got the breakdown, and we’ve got the cleaners and everything like that. So yes, they are getting closer, but sort of not.”

Lomax will start his season with the club immediately, aiming to make his debut in the next couple of weeks.