Zac Lomax is about to face the toughest assignment of his football career: get up to speed in a code you last played at primary school and then perform well enough to earn selection for the national team in time for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Having signed a two-year deal with Rugby Australia and the Western Force after his attempt to join the Melbourne Storm proved unsuccessful, Lomax has the opportunity to become a dual international.

Zac Lomax will start a new journey in rugby with the Western ForceCredit: Getty Images

In 2003, Rugby Australia brought over league greats Lote Tuqiri, Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers to turbo-charge their home World Cup tilt. Next year, the Wallabies will potentially be able call on four former NRL stars: Angus Crichton, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Mark Nawaqanitawase and now Lomax.

But the path to the green and gold is not an easy one. Here are the big challenges Lomax faces.

Commitment to the code

Beyond learning the technicalities of a new game, Lomax’s first task will be to establish trust with his new teammates in Perth.

The Force are a team which needs a strong culture to be successful because they are so far away from the rest of Super Rugby – not only geographically, but also in terms of financial resources.

The Force were strong in defeat against the Highlanders on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images

The players who thrive in Western Australia immediately embrace their point of difference, buying into the mission of maintaining a successful rugby outpost in an AFL-obsessed state. Lomax will need to do the same.

© The Sydney Morning Herald