Wallabies coach hails 'student of the game' Lomax as Schmidt makes call on NRL recruit's best position
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is confident that Zac Lomax is genuinely committed to rugby as the star NRL recruit slogs through his first training sessions in 36 degree Perth heat.
The Western Force have a bye this weekend and while most players in the squad took some time off to freshen up this week, it was the perfect opportunity for Lomax to start learning the basics of a sport he last played when he was 15.
Force coach Simon Cron has spent time with Lomax on a one-on-one basis with a particular emphasis on "ground work" at the ruck and post-tackle as well as positional play in the back field.
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Lomax has also had conversations with Schmidt and his soon-to-be successor at Test level, current Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss.
"The good thing with Zac is he's not getting ahead of himself," Schmidt told Stan Sport's Rugby Heaven.
"Simon Cron is working with him at the moment. He'll be delighted, working hard, 36 degrees today in Perth, he'll be gasping a little bit...
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Joe Schmidt. Stan
"He impressed me as being very driven - and he's driven to try to help the Force first and foremost. And I like that about a player who is not thinking about where they can go.
"They're thinking about how they can help... it's what he can add to the team that he plays for and Zac has very much been like that thus far. And we look forward to seeing him take the field for the Force, whenever that does happen to be."
The Force are 10th of 11 teams with a 1-4 record.
Their next game is against the competition favourite Chiefs in Perth on March 28.
Cron has floated Lomax as a potential fullback while he also has the frame to play in the centres.
"But I think wing is probably the most likely," former winger Schmidt said.
"I'll be interested to see how he goes. Wing, with the aerial game and the way that's developed - he's not super tall - but he's quite a tall guy (190cm) with a big, broad set of shoulders and good spring.
"He's very good in the air. Just having that on the edge is beneficial for starters. He's got good top end speed, so he ticks a few boxes on the wing."
The steepest learning curve?
Zac Lomax poses during a media opportunity after signing with Rugby Australia and the Western Force. Getty
"It can be a bit lonely defending on the wing," Schmidt noted.
"Whoever's playing fullback, if it is Mac Grealy or Max Burey, they're going to have to help him just positionally originally. But talking to him, he's a bit of a student of the game.
"He knew who else was there, who else was in the Australian system.
"How they'd played in the (Wallabies) Spring Tour. So he's definitely already trying to work out how he best defends in different positions, but wing and fullback were two of the ones that we talked about briefly."
Schmidt will lead the Wallabies against Ireland, France and Italy for three home Tests in July.
He will then step aside and hand the reins to Kiss, whose first challenge will be Eddie Jones' Japan in Osaka on August 8.
Joe Schmidt and Les Kiss pose during a media opportunity at Allianz Stadium. Getty
"He's more likely to shift direction than change direction," Schmidt said of Kiss.
"It's not likely to be big shifts immediately, he'll work his way to any change in how the game's played."
Schmidt is prioritising more time with family post-July but appears likely to retain some involvement with Rugby Australia, Kiss and the Wallabies ahead of next year's home World Cup.
"I'm comfortable with the conversations. I've got some other responsibilities and priorities and how they may dovetail in the future," Schmidt said.
"I think I'm better to get right out of the way. Let Les really lead that window through to the end of the year, and if Les wants a hand on the back of that, yeah. We coached together over 10 years ago (with Ireland), and have been friends since, so it's not like I'd be a million miles away."
Schmidt was pleased with the competition building in the backrow stocks where he name checked Charlie Cale, Pete Samu, Joe Brial and Will Harris.
ACT Brumbies No.10 Declan Meredith had also entered the Wallabies playmaking picture as he enjoys a breakout Super Rugby Pacific season.
"Declan is a mature player, he's 26, and he's played fullback and wing, so he's got enough high speed," Schmidt said.
"I don't know if you saw early in the season, he went through a loose forward and a hooker to score a try under the (posts), in their first game of the season. He's not afraid of the contact area, he's brave defensively, and he's pretty competent going up for the ball in a contest.
Declan Meredith of the Brumbies scores a try. Getty
"Having watched him at Brumbies training, he also is quite commanding in the way that he runs the team, in that others are looking for direction. If you've got your 10, decisive, can see the space, understands the game.
"And I think Declan's done a longer apprenticeship than most coming into Super Rugby, some of the other guys, they come in very young and it's hard to see the wood for the trees sometimes at 10, with that step up and pressure. And when you get to Test level, that wood's a lot thicker.
"And having had those experiences and built on them, I think it just allows him to see more, and stay calmer, and be more decisive."
Carter Gordon of the Reds scores a try. Getty
Schmidt was also delighted to see Carter Gordon's hot form for the Reds after an injury-plagued 2025 in both league and union.
"One of the frustrations around the Spring Tour, he was injured, he couldn't kick at goal, he couldn't kick for the line when we did play him against Italy," he said.
"And even in the French Test, he was set to be named and then the last kick of that last training, he pulled up sore again.
Carter Gordon of Australia plays. NurPhoto via Getty Images
"Now that he's got through that I'm excited to see where he can get to. Tom Lynagh is back there though, and he's almost back to full training, so there'll be good competition there."
Schmidt also weighed in on the All Blacks appointing former Wallabies mentor Dave Rennie as coach through to the World Cup.
Australia will play New Zealand in Pool A on October 9 in Sydney.
Michael Hooper of the Wallabies and coach Dave Rennie celebrate. Getty
"He's still really well respected by the Wallabies players," Schmidt said.
"He does a great job building a culture, building connection, and if you have that, you're already halfway there, because it means something. It means something to play for the jersey, but it also means a heck of a lot to play for the guy either side of you and I think Rens builds that really well."
Schmidt was Ian Foster's right-hand man at the last World Cup but did not entertain approaches from New Zealand Rugby after Scott Robertson was axed.
Coach Joe Schmidt of Australia talks with coach Scott Robertson of New Zealand. Getty
"I loved my time with the All Blacks and I've loved my time with the Wallabies," he said.
"I feel a real sense of loyalty to the players who have tried really hard to try to build their way forward because we weren't in a great space two years ago (after Jones' exit).
"While we didn't have a great tour (last year), I think there were glimpses of what people could see the team being capable of."
