Christian Leali'ifano returns as the ACT Brumbies' Super Rugby rival on Saturday

So there he was, sitting alongside Moana Pasifika coach Aaron Mauger in a Canberra hotel room ahead of what will almost certainly be an emotional return to Canberra Stadium this weekend.

And within a minute or so, the smile is back as he thinks about a homecoming. Brumbies fans aren't the sort of supporters who hold grudges, or turn on players who leave and then return as a rival. Even if they were, they'd find it hard to see Leali'ifano as anything other than a favourite son.

"To see the love the Brumbies and the Canberra community still have for myself and the impact I've had here is humbling," Leali'ifano said. "It's been really cool to be at home."

So much has changed since Leali'ifano left the ACT Brumbies at the end of the 2019 season after 150 games over more than a decade, a remarkable comeback from cancer and a career that saw a humble Samoan boy turn into an inspirational Super Rugby leader.

At the same time, everything's still the same. He cracked jokes about diminutive former teammate Nic White, who said Moana "pulled down our pants" when they beat the Brumbies last year.

"Nic's pants aren't too far to pull down, so it's all good," Leali'ifano laughed.

He spoke of his relationship with Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham, who was by Leali'ifano's side in hospital whenever he needed him after his cancer diagnosis in 2016.

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"I love that I've built that connection [with Larkham], he's been a massive supporter of mine, especially through my illness. Him and his family," Leali'ifano said. "That connection for us and my family is really, really special."

At a press conference across down, Larkham added: "It's hard this week not to cheer for him, but every other week I cheer him on. He's special to this team, he's special to this community."

Leali'ifano expects emotion to run high as he returns to home turf, and even visited Brumbies headquarters earlier this week to catch up with old friends. But even though his heart is full of pride, his mind is on one job: winning. "It's different coming back home," he said.

"Being the away team at [my] home city is pretty weird. But exciting, too, and it's cool. I'm loving the new challenges and that's exactly why I signed up with Moana to get the experience and challenges, and I'm loving every bit of it."

Emotion aside, the Brumbies are refusing to take Moana lightly even though they've got a soft spot for one of the club's favourite sons.

Many have returned over the years as the opposition - Stirling Mortlock, George Smith, Stephen Moore to name a few - and most walk away from Canberra Stadium disappointed.

Leali'ifano is under no illusion about the task before him, especially given the Brumbies are unbeaten after three games while Moana are still chasing their first win.

But Moana have taken confidence from the shock upset they caused against the Brumbies last year - one of only two games they won in their debut season.

"It was confidence building to know that we finished the year on a high," Leali'ifano said.

"This is a totally new year, and the Brumbies are red hot at the moment, one of the only undefeated teams in the comp, so they're definitely going to be ready ... we've just sort of focused on us."

Mauger and his coaching team have identified areas they see as weaknesses in the Brumbies' line-up, and hope to exploit them to cause another upset this week.

Leali'ifano, who is back in the team this week after recovering from concussion, became just the seventh player in Super Rugby history to score 1000 points when he hit the milestone last year.

His presence gives Moana a reliable, calm voice on and off the field. And his experience - 12 years at the Brumbies and 26 Tests for Australia - gives confidence to those around him.

What does Mauger think of Leali'ifano's impact on Moana, one of two new Super Rugby franchises added to the competition last year?

"It's huge. Probably just as big as anybody, and when I say anybody, not just the playing group. The organisation as well," Mauger said.

"To have a man of Christian's calibre of a player, but also a mentor and influence he has on our boys has been huge ... He might struggle to get back out the door [after all the compliments]. But it's easy to talk about this guy because he's a champion."

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