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Scott Fava makes fresh start at Waratahs
By Jon Geddes
January 29, 2009 12:00am
NEW Waratahs forward Scott Fava has revealed he almost quit rugby after being haunted by the drama where he was fined $11,000 for throwing a quokka at Rottnest Island.
But the dynamic back-rower says he has exorcised the demons and has a point to prove after switching to NSW this year.
And he gets a further chance to boost his claims for a spot in the Super 14 pack when he starts in the back-row in tomorrow night's trial against the Fiji Warriors in Newcastle.
Fava admitted the quokka incident which occurred during a team bonding session in November 2007 continued to plague him throughout last season, long after he was disciplined and publicly shamed by Western Force management.
"I wasn't getting proper sleep, I was always thinking about it," Fava said.
"It was always in the back of my mind - how I could have done things differently and 'what if'.
"I wasn't enjoying it at the Force last year and was even contemplating giving it away. It was definitely a year I would like to leave behind."
That controversy coupled with hearing a few home truths from his wife Sarah provided Fava with the wake-up call he needed.
"I'm a dad now and Sarah got up me and said it reflects on both her and Poppy (the couple's 18-month-old daughter)," he said.
"I had to really pull my head in. It has worked, I feel better for it and my family feels better for it."
Fava didn't want to drift out of the game on a low, so got a release from the final year of his Force contract to join NSW.
"It's given me an opportunity to leave that (drama) all behind," he said.
"I'm relaxed, I'm around family and friends, but also I'm sleeping better. I'm not thinking about any other issues. It's amazing the transformation and I think that might transfer into my rugby."
His arrival will help new coach Chris Hickey cover the losses of Wallabies back-rowers David Lyons and Rocky Elsom. The former Test forward looks set to replace Elsom at No. 6, providing a ruthless edge to the pack.
"I don't like to take a backward step, there is no doubt about that," said Fava, who has become the first player to turn out for all of Australia's Super 14 provinces. "I can't say I have come here as the saviour for that position in the back-row because that is far from the case.
"I'm going to be fighting with young guys coming through and I've got to be on my toes. It's time to move on. This is a chance to fight back and prove some people wrong."
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