The Highlanders have snared the signature of rising Melbourne Rebels prop Tyrel Lomax, although they'll have to wait more than a year for his services.
Lomax, the son of former Kiwis rugby league prop John Lomax, has committed to the Highlanders and NPC union Tasman for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
They must wait for the 21-year-old's Australian contract to run its course, until the end of 2018.
He has requested an early release from the Rebels and Australian Rugby Union and is awaiting an outcome.
Australian-born Lomax grew up playing rugby league in Wellington but switched to rugby union when his family returned to Canberra.
He was named the Australian under-20 player of the year last year and made regular appearances this season for the struggling Rebels.
Named in Wallabies coach Michael Cheika's original 48-man squad for 2017, he admits he faced a tough decision about his future.
"I grew up in New Zealand and as an aspiring rugby player the chance to play for a NZ Super Rugby club was too good an opportunity to turn down," he said.
"As a young prop I can't wait to get to the Highlanders, they have an awesome culture there and I just want to immerse myself in it and learn as much as possible."
Share
