‘A good test’: Suaalii and Lomax to go head to head
Darren Walton |
Zac Lomax is hoping he doesn’t collide with friend and foe Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii when the one-time NSW State of Origin teammates go head to head for the first time in rugby union.
Two years after lining up together in the Blues’ backline, Suaalii’s NSW Waratahs will host Lomax’s Western Force in a Super Rugby Pacific crunch match at Allianz Stadium on Friday night.
The two are clashing at the very same venue as the last time they opposed each other, when Suaalii’s Sydney Roosters crushed Lomax’s St George Illawarra side in a 2024 round-eight NRL mismatch.
That Anzac Day Suaalii ran in the Roosters’ 10th and final try of the drubbing.
Lomax hasn’t forgotten and would love to turn the tables on the dual international.
“They (the Roosters) have obviously had a lot of strong squads over the past few years but, mate that’s a long time ago now and obviously I haven’t played for the Dragons for a number of years,” Lomax said on Thursday.
“But hopefully that’s not the case tomorrow and we come out with the points.”
With Suaalii lining up at outside centre and Lomax on the wing, the pair could well collide defensively.
“If I need to, absolutely,” Lomax said.
“But hopefully we don’t have to tackle each other. That’s the plan but it’s footy, anything happens.
“I’m not too sure where he’s going to be and vice versa, but it’s going to be a good test for both of us.”
As a fan, Lomax revealed he’d been watching Suaalii’s transition closely long before he made the switch this year after the courts prevented the 26-year-old from joining the Melbourne Storm after walking out on Parramatta.
Suaalii, though, says Lomax needs no help on how to contain him on Friday.
“To be fair, he doesn’t need any tips from me,” Suaalii said.
“He can play the game. You see his athleticism and the way he plays the game and, once you just put a footy in his hand, he can play.”
But readily admitting he was driven to play alongside Suaalii at next year’s home World Cup, Lomax said he’d been “like a sponge” learning all he can about rugby from his Force teammates.
“Benny Donaldson’s been really good for me,” he said.
“And obviously the coaching staff. Everyone from top to bottom.
“I’d be lying to you if I told you I was going to come over and expect everything to come easy to me.
“I just hold confidence knowing that I’m going to come over here and work as hard as I possibly can to give myself every opportunity and that’s all I worry about.”
With the eighth-placed Waratahs sitting four points outside the top six and the Force languishing in second-last spot with four rounds remaining, Suaalii knows this is must-win for both sides.
“This game against the Force, that’s the most important game,” he said.
“That’s all that really matters.”
AAP