Western Force star Michaela Leonard set for ACT Brumbies clash

Having joined the Western Force in the off-season, the Wallaroos star will face the ACT Brumbies for the first time.

The stakes couldn't be higher. The Force currently sit fourth, two points clear of the Brumbies on the Super W ladder with one game to play.

Saturday's winner will progress to the semi-finals, the loser will commence preparations for 2024.

The Brumbies enter the match on the back of a thrilling 30-23 win over the Melbourne Rebels that kept their finals hopes alive. Vice-captain Kate Holland and scrumhalf Jay Huriwai are back for the must-win clash in Perth.

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Leonard knows there will be mixed emotions on Saturday, but is confident those thoughts will disappear once kickoff rolls around.

"I'm excited," she said. "It's always a bit daunting and a bit of rivalry when you leave and wear new colours. I have a lot of love for the Brumbies, they always will be family, they're where I started my rugby journey.

"It will be an opportunity to see some friends and reconnect and still have that rivalry on the field. I have the benefit of knowing the strengths they bring and how they like to play.

"It's always a physical game when the Brumbies and Force meet. I'm glad we've got home-soil advantage, we don't have to travel and are confident we have the capability to get the win."

Leonard thought long and hard before making the decision to leave the Brumbies.

Canberra is home and her rugby career started with the franchise in the inaugural Super W season in 2018. Wallaroos selection followed a year later and she has used the platform provided by the club to explore opportunities around the world.

Leonard has played for Matatu in New Zealand and moved to the UK following last year's World Cup to play for the Exeter Chiefs.

Those opportunities allowed the lock to experience different environments and witness first hand the benchmark in women's XVs rugby.

Australia is slowly following in New Zealand and England's footsteps, with payments for Super W and Wallaroos players increasing this year. While still contracted to the Chiefs, Leonard remains focused on retaining her place in the Test squad.

The move to the Force, she hopes, has provided an opportunity to evolve her game and approach the sport from a new perspective.

"It was a big decision," Leonard said. "There were a few tears and a lot of back and forth between the two. The Brumbies is my family and holds a big place in my heart but as athletes there's so much to learn from moving out of your comfort zone and moving to a new place.

"I'm able to work with different players and be coached from a different set of eyes. The beauty of rugby is it allows us to experience these things. It was a tough decision but I was in England and for where I am as a player, the chance to challenge myself and grow in different ways is refreshing."

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