Michaela Leonard poised for Brumbies comeback in Super W clash with Western Force

She's closer to the Super W action than she has been all year, trading a big screen in Matatu's south island base in New Zealand - where she spent the first half of the season - for the real deal.

So you know the former Brumbies captain will be "buzzing" to get off the bench and into the action in her Super W comeback against the Western Force at Viking Park.

Leonard is poised to make her Brumbies return after closing out a stint with Matatu in New Zealand's Super Rugby Aupiki competition, where she was never too far from her teammates in Canberra.

"I made sure we were putting it up on the big screen in the team room [when the Brumbies played], a lot of the girls got around it which was pretty cool," Leonard said.

MORE RUGBY UNION

"The first half against the Tahs was probably my favourite, seeing [Waratahs player and Matatu teammate Arabella McKenzie] cringe and stress about it when we were giving it to them. I've been following it all and having good chats with the girls and the coaches, to talk through where we're at and what we're looking for in the next game.

"It was awesome, I loved every minute of it. Being able to focus solely on rugby and not doing it at the end of a work day or being out for 12 hours a day, when all your energy is on the one thing is awesome.

"I learnt a heap in terms of on-field and off-field in terms of culture and the way their team environment runs over there. Themes and culture play such a big role in everything they do, whether it's the colouring of uniforms, attack shapes and structures, names.

"Going over and learning a whole new attack shape and skill set was pretty awesome to be a part of."

A standalone fixture at Viking Park marks the Brumbies' final home game as officials dream of replicating the scenes that played out at Seiffert Oval last year.

Debutants embraced family members in tears, players signed autographs and posed for so many photos they lost count, veteran Louise Burrows stood in the cold for as long as she could, just to soak it all up.

"We've got the opportunity to create such an awesome atmosphere because the sideline is so close to the field and people can really be a part of it," Leonard said.

"Hopefully we get a good group down there to make it nice and loud, and make a day of it. Hopefully we can show what women's rugby is about and how entertaining it can be, and coming away with a win would make that even better."

The Brumbies' campaign will be rounded out by a trip to Brisbane next week to face a rampaging Fijiana Drua outfit which just became the first team to beat the NSW Waratahs in competition history.

"It's been a while since I've played with the girls so I'm pretty excited, and I'll definitely be ready to go whenever the opportunity comes," Leonard said.

"Everyone knows these last two games are going to be important ones for us to put out there what we can do and get a couple of wins under our belt. Everyone is pretty excited to finish with Force and then Drua, we know they're going to be physical games.

"It's been really cool to be back with the group to see what they've been improving and doing in the past couple of months."

SUPER W ROUND FIVE

Sunday: ACT Brumbies v Western Force at Viking Park, 2pm.

Brumbies squad: 1. Niki Patersen, 2. Harriet Elleman, 3. Louise Burrows, 4. Ash Fernandez, 5. Shellie Milward, 6. Grace Kemp, 7. Talei Qalo Wilson, 8. Rebecca Smyth (c), 9. Jay Huriwai, 10. Ash Hewson, 11. Biola Dawa, 12. Siokapesi Palu, 13. Mana Furuta, 14. Jemima McCalman, 15. Ella Ryan. Reserves: 16. Tania Naden, 17. Onata Schwalger, 18. Makoto Lavemai, 19. Michaela Leonard, 20. Pearl Rakete, 21. Gisela Vea, 22. Gabby Petersen, 23. Halley Derera.

Force squad: 1. Shiane Kani, 2. Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, 3. Sera Ah-Sam, 4. Rebecca Clough, 5. Mahalia Ellis, 6. Keira Macaskill, 7. Anneka Stephens, 8. Tamika Jones, 9. Kendra Fell, 10. Nicole Ledington, 11. Zakiya Kerepoa, 12. Trilleen Pomare (c), 13. Ariana Hira-Herangi, 14.Aiysha Wigley, 15. Turiti Galiki. Reserves: 16. Darryl Wickliffe, 17. Raewyn Tuheke, 18. Brooke Mason, 19. Valuese Tiakia, 20. Tui Cope, 21. Libya Teepa, 22. Hula Swannell, 23. Madeline Putz.

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