My Life in Rugby: Carlo del Fava – Former Italy, Parma & Newcastle lock

During my international career with Italy I played in two World Cups and numerous Six Nations but nothing compares to the time I played for the Barbarians.
We played New Zealand in 2009 and it was the first time the Barbarians had beaten them in 26 years.
The team was littered with stars and I still have to pinch myself when I think that I was part of a rugby team that had Victor Matfield and George Smith, guys of that calibre.
Jamie Roberts was top class and Bryan Habana scored a hat trick of tries.
People had told me the build up to those games was social and they were not wrong – training had to be called off more than once, so to beat the All Blacks for only the second time ever was just brilliant.
My Italy debut against Wales at the Millennium is a moment I will never forget, the scoreline was not the best but the occasion was overwhelming.
I was still quite young and Carlo Checchinato got injured in the captain's run the day before the game. I didn't get a wink's sleep and the whole game was a bit of a blur to be honest.
For Italy at the World Cup I played two games in 2007 and one game in 2011, which was the last game for my country.
It was a great experience to be part of the World Cup but playing in the Six Nations in front of your home crowd always felt that bit more special.
Our greatest game in the Six Nations came when we beat France 22-21 in 2011. We played well that year and we almost beat Ireland as well, but Ronan O'Gara dropped a goal with three minutes to go.
Coming from South Africa as I did, you are pretty much born in to playing rugby, it's part of everyone's time at school.
I was lucky to grow up there but in 2002 when I was 20-years-old I failed a drugs test and suffered a two-year ban from rugby.
I was young man trying to break into the Sharks squad and I made a wrong decision. I had a burning ambition to play Super Rugby and be a Springbok but I took a shortcut and it's something I have to deal with for the rest of my life.
I tried to confront it head on and for the two years I was banned I worked two different jobs including one as a bouncer in Durban and stayed near the club.
When the ban finished I signed a six-month contract in Italy with Parma to get back playing and while I was there I got called up to their national team.
I had a long week deciding if I was going to turn my back on the Boks but it was  too good an opportunity to turn down and I stayed in Europe from then on.
The move to Newcastle, after spells at Aironi and Ulster, was fantastic and Dean Richards was a big factor – he is a person that you really want to play for. I enjoyed my time with Falcons and hopefully I can stay involved with them in some capacity.
It has been heart breaking to retire with a neck injury but it was a decision I had to make as I had the same serious injury in 2011.