Zac Lomax has been unable to inspire the Western Force to victory in his professional rugby union debut as they went down to the Fijian Drua 24-22 in a thriller in Lautoka.
Ex-NRL and State of Origin star Lomax looked comfortable after coming off the bench to the wing in the 60th minute before a raucous Fiji crowd, five weeks after signing his two-year deal with next year’s home World Cup front of mind.
Lomax registered 40 run metres and two clean breaks but did not get to enjoy a winning debut after five eighth Ben Donaldson missed with a long-range penalty attempt in the 80th minute that could have secured victory.
The loss left the WA-based side’s finals hopes on life support as they sit well below the sixth-placed Reds on the ladder.
For the Drua, they kept their 100 per cent record against the Force in Fiji intact, ending a three-game losing streak as winger Isikeli Basiyalo (102 metres, one try) starred in his competition debut.
Victory was doubly welcome for their fans after Cyclone Vaianu lashed parts of the tropical island earlier in the week.
The Drua were behind early after flanker Etonia Waqa copped a yellow card before the Force’s Misinale Epenisa crossed in the 10th minute.
The hosts responded strongly with tries to prop Penaia Cakobau and five eighth Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, before fullback Isikeli Rabitu scored in the 34th minute after some brilliant hands.
Trailing 19-7 at halftime, the Force cut the deficit when winger Dylan Pietsch strolled over after a lofted pass from Bayley Kuenzle.
Lock Jeremy Williams wrestled across the line to move the Force within two points of the hosts, but Basiyalo intercepted a Kurtley Beale pass and stormed down the field to give the home side some breathing room.
The Drua’s Ilaisa Droasese was sent to the sin bin in the 70th minute, and moments later Will Harris capitalised from a maul, but Beale missed a conversion attempt to equalise before Donaldson scuffed his penalty kick.
Fijian Drua 24 (Tries: Cakobau, Rabitu, Armstrong-Ravula, Basiyalo; Cons: Armstrong-Ravula 2) def Western Force 22 (Tries: Epenisa, Pietsch, Williams, Harris; Cons: Donaldson)
