Tim Sampson leads Canberra connection driving Western Force revival

But the former Tuggeranong and Canberra Vikings coach doesn't expect to get a welcome home party when he returns to his former home ground as the enemy on Sunday.

Sampson is back in the capital as the Western Force coach and will lead them into a National Rugby Championship clash at Viking Park seven months after taking the new job.

He has been in charge of maintaining a supporter base in Perth after the Force was axed from Super Rugby last year, taking the reins for billionaire Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest's inaugural World Series Rugby.

The sliding doors moment for Sampson was when he missed out on an assistant coaching job at the ACT Brumbies last year. Not long after, the Force position was available and he took a chance.

Any doubts about the move were soon erased when he met fans on his first day in Western Australia.

"I don't think rugby had stopped over here [after Rugby Australia cut the Force], the heartbeat was still going," Sampson said.

"On my first day there was a fan day. There were hundreds if not a couple of thousand there. I got to meet some pretty special people, they each told me their story and they said they weren't going to roll over.

"They've got a good, passionate man in Andrew Forrest and what he's provided to Western Australia is pretty special.

"It all happened pretty quickly and I suppose it was a bit of a risk for me. I missed out on the assistant coach at the Brumbies, so when this popped up I thought it was the best move. So far it's proved to be positive."

Sampson is just the tip of a Canberra-connection iceberg in the NRC battle. Vikings coach Nick Scrivener replaced Sampson in the NRC role and as Tuggeranong head coach.

The Force also boast former Brumbies Ian Prior, Chris Alcock, Leon Power, Rodney Iona and ex-Wests skipper Harry Lloyd, who Sampson recruited to the Force after working together at the Vikings last season.

The relationships and Canberra links will add spice to a contest, which looms as a massive battle in the context of a hit-and-run NRC campaign of just seven games.

For Iona, it's a chance to return to a venue which became his rugby home for six years after moving to Canberra to pursue his rugby ambitions.

The 27-year-old won three premierships with Tuggeranong at Viking Park, was part of the Canberra Vikings' inaugural NRC team in 2014 and made his Super Rugby debut in the same year.

He spent two years in France before being lured back to Australia by an opportunity to link with Sampson and the Force.

"I sort of missed the fast footy in Australia. I'm very happy with how everything went over in France because I wasn't playing much professional footy before I left," Iona said.

"I'm much more confident. I was able to play freely and I feel like I've brought that confidence back to Australia.

"I'm excited to be coming back, especially to Viking Park. That place holds a big part of my career, I grew as a player and a person at the Tuggeranong Vikings.

"It's been good to move over to Perth, the big thing is there's still hope here. It's still alive and I think moving forward there are big things to come out of WA rugby."

The Vikings will be bolstered by the return of four players for the match against the Force. Wallabies Tom Banks and Joe Powell have been released from national duties, but will only arrive back in Canberra on Sunday.

Brumbies duo Josh Mann-Rea and Rob Valetini will make their much-anticipated returns from injury after playing only a handful of Super Rugby games this year.

NRC ROUND THREE

Sunday: Canberra Vikings v Western Force at Viking Park, 3pm. Entry is free.

Vikings: 1. Sione Taula, 2. Connal McInerney, 3. Les Leuluaialii-Makin, 4. Blake Enever, 5. Darcy Swain, 6. BJ Edwards, 7. Michael Oakman-Hunt, 8. Ben Hyne, 9. Ryan Lonergan, 10. Wharenui Hawera, 11. Andy Muirhead, 12. Jordan Jackson-Hope, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Lausii Taliauli, 15. Tom Banks. Reserves: 16. Josh Mann-Rea, 17. Vunipola Fifita, 18. Tom Ross, 19. Rob Valetini, 20. Brodie Leber, 21. Joe Powell, 22. Irae Simone, 23. Mack Hansen.

Force: 1. Harry Lloyd, 2. Harry Scoble, 3. Kieran Longbottom, 4. Fergus Lee-Warner, 5. Jeremy Thrush, 6. Tevin Ferris, 7. Chris Alcock, 8. Brynard Stander, 9. Ian Prior, 10. Andrew Deegan, 11. Rod Davies, 12. Henry Taefu, 13. Marcel Brache, 14. Masivesi Dakuwaqa, 15. Jack McGregor. Reserves: Heath Tessmann, 17. Cameron Orr, 18. Chris Heiberg, 19. Leon Power, 20. Harrison Orr, 21. Issak Fines, 22. Rodney Iona, 23. Peter Grant.