But he also feels at home wherever Moana Pasifika is playing.
The 41-year-old coached the Highlanders from 2018 to 2020, but his job tonight is to heap more pain on his old team, which is struggling to keep its playoffs prospects alive with six straight losses to start the Super Rugby Pacific season.
Moana Pasifika is equally desperate. It is just one spot above the last-placed Highlanders with one win from five games.
But the situation feels different for the Auckland-based team.
It is new to Super Rugby and arguably the side is not burdened by the same heavy expectations from its growing fan base yet.
The team has brought a great energy to the competition and is enjoying a honeymoon of sorts.
But perhaps you can put some of the vibe down to Mauger.
The former All Blacks and Crusaders midfielder is an upbeat character, but his enthusiasm bubbles over into effervescence when you ask about his players.
Team-naming day sounds more like Christmas. Some players get coal in their sack, of course, but Mauger said there was a family feel to the camp, which he was really enjoying.
And given they have had to cram in games which were postponed earlier in the season because of Covid, there is an acceptance the playing chances will have to be shared around.
"It has really forced us to have a look at our whole squad.
"I’m super proud because we’ve capped 45 players so far for Moana Pasifika and celebrated every one of those.
"It means so much to all of those guys who have been able to take the field so far, and we’ve involved their families where possible ... to share those special moments.
"That has been awesome. And what we have learned is that it is actually hard for us to identify a clear top 23 at the moment because everybody has put their hand up."
Mauger lives in Dunedin and said he was looking forward to returning and "spending a couple of nights in my bed" — something he has not done since early January.
"I’m certainly looking forward to that, and getting up and having breakfast with my kids and just being a dad at home for a couple of days."
