The No 8 was one of the stars at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin over the Super Rugby season.
Having made just one start in the previous two years, the dynamic 23-year-old had a breakout year for the Highlanders.
Now he — as well as fellow Highlanders Ash Dixon and Folau Fakatava — return with Hawke’s Bay with one mission: to prise the Log o’ Wood off Otago on Sunday afternoon.
"It’s funny like that," Mikaele-Tu’u said.
"I guess it’s a bit of an advantage for me compared to a few of the other boys, who haven’t played under the roof.
"I know how fast and up-tempo the game can be.
"So I guess it should be interesting coming down and being on the opposite side of the home team."
He said the stadium was the best in the world and he enjoyed the style of rugby it produced.
He was also excited to play against a team in which he knew a lot of the players.
Mikaele-Tu’u has been involved in the Dunedin club scene, having played for Alhambra-Union.
That left him in no doubt as to the threat Otago posed under the roof, particularly out wide.
He was expecting Otago to play with width and try to find the likes of Jona Nareki and Vilimoni Koroi in space.
Having had one previous experience of Ranfurly Shield rugby — a loss to Waikato a week before Otago won it in 2018 — Mikaele-Tu’u was aware Otago would bring a little extra, too.
But the loose forward poses a significant threat of his own
as a strong ball carrier, both in contact and in the open.
He had been thrilled with his Super Rugby season. It was form that has propelled him into All Black discussion.
All Black coach Ian Foster is set to add 11 players to his Rugby Championship squad and Mikaele-Tu’u’s name was being floated as a possible contender.
He was not giving that too much thought, though.
"There’s obviously a few noises here and there about it," he said.
"But, like I said to a few other people, if it happens it happens and if it doesn’t it’s not the end of the world.
"I’ll play on with the Hawke’s Bay boys and hopefully get up to the premiership."
Hawke’s Bay enters the game in good form, having upset Canterbury 20-19 in Christchurch last week.
