Negotiations between Lomax’s camp and the Super Rugby franchises are heating up but the key player shapes as Rugby Australia, given they’d likely need to be involved financially for a deal to be done in coming weeks, as would be needed for Lomax to begin training in January.
Super Rugby franchises can offer a maximum of $220,000 a year, and RA then make “top up” payments to a group of approximately 30 players they consider to be key players for the Wallabies. The National Contracting Panel, which includes Waugh, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt and RA high-performance boss Peter Horne, make calls on which players are of national interest and get topped-up.
Zac Lomax scores a try for Australa in 2024.Credit: Getty Images
Industry sources say while Schmidt has been more focused on repatriating Australian rugby players, incoming coach Les Kiss is more bullish on recruitment and is becoming more active in discussions.
Lomax could potentially earn up to $400,000 a year even without a top-up, if he backs himself to make the Wallabies and plays all 15 Tests in 2026. Top-up players get match fees of $10,000 per Test, and non-top-ups get $12,000.
Lomax accepting unders to play rugby in 2026 and 2027 would not only give him the chance to play for the Wallabies at a home World Cup, it would also build his rugby CV to become known in overseas markets in 2028, or even re-visit R360.
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After taking over as chief executive in 2023, and with the $5m contract of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii sitting on his desk, Waugh said RA was not interested in chasing more big money recruits from the NRL. But asked this week if he would consider Lomax, Waugh had softened the stance.
“We consider anyone who has the ambition to play for the Wallabies, and we’ll have conversations with anyone who is willing to be part of what’s going to be a really amazing journey through to 2027. So Lomax is one name, there’s other names that have expressed an interest to be part of the Rugby World Cup journey, and we are happy to have pragmatic, sensible conversations,” he said.
“Everything we’re doing is around alignment to our strategy, and our strategy relating specifically to 2027 is being part of the final weekend in 2027. So whoever we’re talking to from a talent perspective is around ensuring we’ve got the appropriate talent across our playing cohort to go to that final weekend in 2027. If those interested are additive to the environment, then we’re clearly very interested in having conversations.”
No doubt mindful of the optics of signing another league winger just weeks after cutting costs in other departments, Waugh said RA would remain “fiscally responsible” when it came to recruitment.
“For those considering being part of the World Cup, I don’t think it’s necessarily about the money they’ll earn next year and the Rugby World Cup year, it’s actually the potential legacy they’ll leave, and then a future earning capacity after that,” he said.
