Born in New Zealand, he represents Samoa at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds,[1][2] having previously played over twenty-five times for Australia between 2013 and 2019.

[3] Leali'ifano played six Super 14 games for the Brumbies in 2010 before being sidelined with a knee injury (rupture to his posterior cruciate).

[1] In August 2017, after successful treatment for leukaemia, Leali'ifano signed for Irish Pro14 and European Rugby Champions Cup side Ulster on a 5-month loan deal.

On 22 June 2013, he was knocked out attempting to tackle the British and Irish Lions centre Jonathan Davies in Brisbane.

[12] In August 2016, two weeks after the Brumbies were knocked out of the Super Rugby finals, Leali'ifano was diagnosed with leukaemia.