Zac Lomax's cameo on debut has been given a big tick of approval and Western Force coach Simon Cron is backing the former NRL star to potentially play a full game in their must-win clash with the Crusaders.
Lomax didn't disappoint in his first taste of Super Rugby Pacific action, with one of his line breaks eventually leading to a Force try, and his work at the breakdown also praised during last week's 24-22 loss to Fijian Drua.
The 26-year-old only came on in the 60th minute, but he has been named to start on the wing against in Perth on Saturday night.
"I thought he did a couple of really good things at the breakdown that maybe people don't notice, and that's the area of the game he's still learning," Cron said on Friday.
"And it was a really good stick and shift in the line break. He stuck the inside shoulder and could see space for his outside (players)."
With star winger Darby Lancaster suffering a season-ending ankle injury a fortnight ago, there is a huge opportunity now for Lomax to hold down a spot for the remaining six games of the regular season.
Lomax barely had a pre-season, given he was denied the chance to join the Melbourne Storm after R360 - the competition he initially planned to join - was postponed.
But Cron says Lomax is now ready to play a full game if needed.
"It'll be very much dependent on how the game's going, how he's tracking, and how much involvements he's had," Cron said of Lomax's planned game time against the Crusaders.
"But I think he'd be fine for the (full) game.
"With Darbs out, Zac gets a real opportunity to get a lot of minutes on that field."
Lancaster scored four tries in five games for the Force before an awkward landing against the Queensland Reds.
"It was gut wrenching," Cron said.
"I was on the phone to him last night again. He's such a talented individual and amazing for our team."
The Force have been boosted by the return of Carlo Tizzano (knee), Tom Robertson (concussion) and Darcy Swain (illness).
Swain was among a number of the Force travelling party who were hit by a bout of gastro in Fiji, with Cron revealing some players were still battling as late as Tuesday.
But Cron says the issue is now behind them and is hoping his team won't let an "eye watering" amount of opportunities slip through their fingers like they did against the Drua.
The 10th-placed Force (2-6) are a massive 10 points adrift of the sixth-placed Crusaders (4-4).
And with only six matches remaining, the Force's finals hopes will be effectively over if they fail to win.
"I think every game that we play now has to be do or die in terms of we've got to go at it," Cron said.
