Zac Lomax impresses as Force stun Crusaders in Perth

Former NRL star Zac Lomax has produced a series of highlights as the Western Force overcame a 19-0 deficit to stun the Crusaders 31-26 in Perth.

Lomax, making his first Super Rugby Pacific start following last week’s 20-minute cameo off the bench, was a key figure in several important moments during Saturday night’s match at HBF Park.

After trailing 19-0 by the 22nd minute, the Force stormed back into the contest, with Lomax’s try in the 54th minute levelling the scores and sending the 6,659-crowd wild.

Lomax went off in the 59th minute, and the Force edged ahead by five points in the 70th minute.

But in a dramatic finish, the Crusaders thought they had levelled the scores in the 75th minute, only for Macca Springer’s try to be rubbed off due to an earlier knock-on.

The Force defended grimly for the final three minutes of the contest, with Carlo Tizzano winning a crucial penalty at the breakdown to finally seal the win, with the result improving the Force’s record to 3-6 and keeping their finals hopes flickering.

“It’s been a while since I scored a try, seven or eight months now,” Lomax told Stan after the match.

“Just to start a game of footy really and get 59 minutes out now, I’m super pumped. And to get the win, that’s more special.

“You can see on the boys’ faces, that win means so much for us. That performance has been coming.”

Lomax wasn’t given much space to run in the first half, but he showed what a weapon he is under the high ball.

On three occasions when the Force launched a box kick, Lomax sprinted forward to nab it.

His best effort came on the stroke of halftime, when he not only caught the high bomb but was also able to dish it off before he landed, almost leading to a try for the Force.

Lomax also showed calmness under pressure for the Force’s only try of the first half.

After Dylan Pietsch’s burst of speed and no-look pass broke open the Crusaders’ defence, Lomax dished off an inside pass to Mac Grealy, who found Henry Robertson for the first of his two tries.

The Force held up the Crusaders over the line three times in the first half, with Tizzano playing a key role two times, and Lomax running in to play his part on one other occasion.

But the Crusaders still managed to score three first-half tries, with the visitors opening up a 19-0 lead by the 22nd minute when fullback Johnny McNicholl beat Force scrumhalf Robertson in a race for the dribbling ball.

Lomax couldn’t help but chuckle after being involved in a heated scrap with McNicholl in the 52nd minute.

And just two minutes later, Lomax was screaming in pure joy after a Ben Donaldson long pass allowed the former NSW State of Origin star to dive over in the corner.

That moment of magic levelled the scores, and although the Crusaders hit back shortly after, the Force notched tries through Pietsch and 100-game milestone man Harry Johnson-Holmes while the visitors were down to 14 men to take a lead they never surrendered.