Is Australian rugby making the same mistake it made with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii with Zac Lomax?
asserted
it → make → Lomax
The Western Force utility back has been named at No.13 in the Australia A side to take on the United States in New Jersey at 11am on Saturday, AEDT, but he’s not realistically going to be the Wallabies’ No.13 at the Rugby World Cup.
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he → name → Cup
Despite this column’s oft-stated scepticism at how NRL players can improve the Wallabies, it happily recognised how impressive Lomax was when he made his entry into Super Rugby this year from round 9 onwards.
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he → state → round
But that assessment was based on his performances as a winger, due in part to his outstanding skill set under the high ball.
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assessment → base → ball
Lomax also showed great work rate, athletic capability and capacity to learn, but really it was his superpower under the high ball that marked him down as a Test prospect on the wing.
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that → show → wing
Yes, there is a necessity to pick him in the midfield for Australia A after David Feliuai’s red card last week, but there is a strong argument that Lomax should not be in the United States at all.
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Lomax → be → States
Rather, Lomax and his Force teammate Dylan Pietsch, who formed the best Australian wing combination in Super Rugby last season, should count themselves very unlucky not to be part of the Wallabies’ touring squad for the Nations Championship northern series.
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themselves → form → series
Lomax and Pietsch will again be the best Australian combination in Super Rugby next year, if the Force can resist the temptation to play Lomax at No.13, and their absence feels like a wasted opportunity with Harry Potter and Filipo Daugunu picked ahead of them.
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Potter → resist → them
Perhaps Lomax has been his own worst enemy by signing for the PNG Chiefs from 2028 onwards.
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Lomax → sign → 2028
But at least that bit of business has been concluded early and there will be no tiresome “will he, won’t he” distractions going on to suck up all the oxygen.
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he → conclude → oxygen
Besides, the quality of Lomax’s work for the Force suggests he is a task-focused athlete who is very capable of blocking out noise.
uncertain
who → suggest → noise
You give him a target – the Rugby World Cup – and just let him go.
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him → give → target
That aerial ability is also far too good to waste an on a near-impossible project of making him a better midfield candidate than Len Ikitau, Hunter Paisami or Isaac Henry will be next year.
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Ikitau → waste → project
As for Pietsch, who scored two tries for Australia A last weekend, he comes with some priceless guarantees.
For example, there is no way that some of the soft defending on the edges against the All Blacks during the Bledisloe series would have happened on Pietsch’s watch.
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some → score → watch
He tackles like a loose forward and it is close to mystifying that he isn’t in Les Kiss’ squad.
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he → tackle → squad
No doubt injuries and a lack of recent rugby have played a part, in both the cases of Pietsch and Lomax, but they look like obvious picks.
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they → play → picks
The Wallabies’ touring party currently stands at 35, with James Ramm and Kalani Thomas added and Kurtley Beale named to replace Hunter Paisami.
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Beale → tour → Paisami
That is one shy of the 36 the All Blacks are taking, and the Wallabies squad will fall to 34 when Tate McDermott returns to Australia on fatherhood duties.
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McDermott → take → duties
Beale’s late inclusion, deemed a shock, is understandable.
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inclusion → deem → ?
Not only did Kiss name-check him in recent weeks, but his form for the Force in Super Rugby and Super Rugby AUS was good.
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form → check → Rugby
His 37-year-old legs won’t carry him through 80 minutes of Test rugby, but he would be a more sensible starter in the No.12 jersey than Suaalii in the No.13 if it means than Ikitau plays at No.13, with Suaalii now clearly more impactful as a Wallabies winger.
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Suaalii → carry → winger
Beale at No.12 would also mean he can babysit the Wallabies’ still-developing trio at No.10 without feeling like a threat to their places.
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he → mean → places
But the inclusion of Lomax and Pietsch feels like a more pressing matter.
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inclusion → feel → matter
Could Lomax make a genuine difference at Test level?
uncertain
Lomax → make → level
Can Pietsch make a genuine difference at Test level?
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Pietsch → make → level
The Aporia
