Tyrel Shae Lomax is an Australian-born New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a tighthead prop.
Born on 16 March 1996 in Canberra, Australia, he stands 192 cm tall and weighs around 127 kg.
He represents the Hurricanes in Super Rugby Pacific and Tasman in the Bunnings NPC, and he is an established All Black (All Black number 1180).
Of Māori descent through the Muaūpoko and Ngāi Tūhoe iwi, Lomax is the son of former New Zealand Kiwis and Canberra Raiders rugby league prop John Lomax.
He spent parts of his childhood in Wainuiomata near Wellington and later in Canberra, where he attended St Edmund’s College, also spending time at St Patrick’s College, Silverstream.
Siblings
Tyrel has two siblings, an older brother named Sheen and a sister.
His father, John Lomax, is a well-known former New Zealand Kiwis rugby league player, and John’s family includes a famous set of rugby-playing brothers.
Career
Lomax began in rugby league before switching to rugby union during his school years in Canberra.
He represented Australia at under-20 level and was named Australian Rugby Under-20 Player of the Year in 2016.
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He played for the Canberra Vikings and Melbourne Rising, then signed with the Melbourne Rebels and made his Super Rugby debut in 2017.
After negotiating an early release, he moved to New Zealand and joined Tasman for the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup (later Bunnings NPC), where he contributed to their titles in subsequent seasons.
He played for the Highlanders in Super Rugby in 2018 and 2019 before joining the Hurricanes in 2020, becoming a mainstay of their forward pack and reaching significant milestones including 100 Super Rugby appearances.
Lomax debuted for the Māori All Blacks in 2017 and for the All Blacks against Japan in Tokyo in November 2018.
After a period of intermittent selection he established himself as a regular starter, featuring in the 2023 Rugby World Cup (including the final) and accumulating dozens of Test caps.
He has also represented the South Island.
In 2026 he was part of the Hurricanes side that won the Super Rugby Pacific title.
He has re-signed with New Zealand Rugby, the Hurricanes and Tasman through to the end of 2029.
Accolades
Among his individual and team achievements, Lomax was named the Tom French Memorial Māori Rugby Union Player of the Year in 2024.
He has contributed to multiple Rugby Championship successes with the All Blacks and to provincial titles with Tasman.
He started in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final and has been recognised for his consistent performances as one of the leading tighthead props in the international game.
His longevity and reliability at Super Rugby and Test level, including the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific triumph with the Hurricanes, further mark his career.
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