1
Highlanders lose All Blacks prop Tyrel Lomax to Super Rugby rivals
By Online Editors
The Highlanders have lost All Blacks prop Tyrel Lomax to the Hurricanes, according to a report from Stuff.
The one-test international made his debut for New Zealand last year against Japan in Tokyo, and has been in strong form for the Highlanders in his second year for the franchise since joining from the Rebels at the end of 2017.
However, Lomax's partner has accepted a job offer in Wellington, meaning the 22-year-old will follow her to the capital, thus bringing his two-year stint in Dunedin to an end.
Lomax has strong ties to Wellington, as he was raised and played rugby league there after being born in Canberra to former Kiwis rugby league captain John Lomax.
As a teenager, he went back to the Australian capital where he pursued a rugby union career, which led him to represent Australia U20s in 2015 and 2016 while also being named in an extended 48-man Wallabies squad by Michael Cheika in 2017, but New Zealand Rugby lured him back across the ditch later that year to play for the Highlanders and Tasman in the Mitre 10 Cup.
Lomax becomes one of many high-profile players to exit the Highlanders, leaving them severely undermanned ahead of the 2020 Super Rugby campaign.
Fellow All Blacks Ben Smith (Pau), Waisake Naholo (London Irish), Liam Squire (NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes), Jackson Hemopo (Mitsubishi DynaBoars) and Luke Whitelock (Pau) have all confirmed their departures, while experienced utility back Matt Faddes (Ulster) is also heading to Europe.
It is also believed three-test All Black Elliot Dixon will be cashing in on the two-seasons-in-one concept in the Japanese Top League next year alongside Highlanders teammates Marty Banks, Richard Buckman and Tom Franklin, despite having signed a contract with the Highlanders last year that would have seen him play Super Rugby in 2020.
News of Lomax's exit comes a day after the Highlanders announced the return of former star first-five, assistant and head coach Tony Brown from the Sunwolves and Japanese national side in a yet-to-be-determined coaching role.
Highlanders CEO Roger Clark indicated both yesterday during the announcement of Brown's signing and today to Stuff that the announcements of new player signings for next year would be made in the coming weeks, with many believed to be players from the New Zealand U20 and All Blacks Sevens sides, including youngsters Jona Nareki and Scott Gregory.
In other news:
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Saracens statement: The outcome of Billy Vunipola investigation
3
Ox Nche: 'The best feeling is squeezing a prop so hard he passes out'
4
RFU statement: Maro Itoje cited for yellow-carded tackle
5
Latest Comments
I’m looking forward to attending the Twickenham match, I don’t think it will have a bearing on the outcome of the grand prize itself but it will tell us more about each teams’ preparation and game plan. It’s hard to look past one of the big four (I’m including Canada) lifting the trophy in 2025 but sport is a curious thing, there will still be twists and turns in road ahead.
Go to commentsThe better side seems to be the losing side a lot these days. As far as narrative goes. Must be the big emergent culture of “participation awards” that have emerged in nanny states. ”It looked like New Zealand would take the game from there but lapses in execution let South Africa get back into the game. New Zealand’s goal kickers left five points out there, including a very make-able penalty on the stroke of half”. Sounds like a chronic problem… I wonder how the better team has lapses in concentration and execution? Or are those not important factors in the grand scheme of total performances? In 2023, the ABs at least didn’t give up a lead to lose. They just couldn’t execute to get the points and take the lead. This Baby AB result points to a choke - letting the game slip through your fingers. In the words of the great Ricky Bobby’s dad - “If you’re not 1st you’re last!” Loosely translated - if you didn’t win, you’re a loser.
Go to comments