Scott Fava, the 33-year-old former Wallaby loose forward, has been forced to retire due to a prolonged injury.
New South Wales forward was hampered with injury
Scott Fava, the 33-year-old former Wallaby loose forward, has been forced to retire due to a prolonged injury.
The Waratahs ace had been struggling with a chronic back injury, which had kept him on the sidelines for the past few months.
Fava had been working hard to try and get back to full fitness, however there were no signs of improvement, leaving him with the tough decision to retire from the game.
He said: "It's been really hard being on the sidelines for so long, working so hard to get back but not seeing much progress.
"Over the last few months it's become clearer that I won't be able to get my body back to the point where it needs to be to play professional rugby.
"It's not a decision that I've taken lightly, but at the end of the day I need to make sure I can lead a normal life post-football both professionally and for my family."
Understanding
The news has come as a disappointment to the Waratahs, with Fava having been such an influential player in the side.
"We signed Scott largely due to the great experience he brought to the squad, and unfortunately we're losing that," said head coach Chris Hickey.
"It would have been a tough decision for him to make, but after sitting back and looking at the big picture I think he's comfortable with the call he's made."
Fava is the only player to have played for all of Australia's Super 14 teams. Over his career, he amassed 185 caps, provincial and Super Rugby combined, scoring 90 points.
He played in five Tests for Australia making his debut against England in 2005.
