Groundhog days for quarantined Saia Faingaa, and why Sef Fa’agase is a stand in Easter bunny

Saia Faingaa’s twin brother used to braid his dreadlocks in the Queensland Reds change rooms. With the former Wallaby on 14 days of quarantine after returning from a spell with London Irish, Anthony is doing his best to stay close.

Saia Faingaa in lockdown at the Westin Hotel with the care pack from Anthony. Pic Saia Faingaa

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Stretch, weights, eat, Zoom chats, Netflix, reflect, repeat...former Wallaby Saia Faingaa is finding hotel isolation a weird caper after 15 years of non-stop bustle in footy teams.

Until a few years ago, 14 days without close contact would have been a family record because twin Anthony would even braid Saia’s dreadlocks pre-game at Queensland Reds.

Now, the closest Anthony is allowed to get is kerbside drop-offs at The Westin Brisbane where Saia is quarantined in a hotel room on the fourth floor until April 20.

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Hooker Saia, 33, flew into Brisbane last week from his curtailed stint at the London Irish club and into a mandated lock-in as a coronavirus precaution.

Saia Faingaa in lockdown at the Westin Hotel with the care pack from Anthony. Pic Saia Faingaa

“Easter eggs, newspapers, a footy, dumbbells, snacks, goodie bags of schnitzel and steak...Ant is looking after me with drop-offs nearly every day,” Saia said.

“When you are with 60-odd players for months at a time at a club like London Irish, it’s crazy quiet not being around the team and the banter.

“You know, no way am I going to complain about being locked in at a five-star hotel with the troubles facing some people.

Anthony Faingaa taking a care package to his brother. Pic Annette Dew

“It’s time to reflect and make some of those phone calls you might otherwise put off because there’s a limit to the number of vampire shows and Narcos episodes you can watch on TV.

“I’d say the weirdest part is starting a few stretches and weights and looking out the window to someone in a neighbouring hotel doing their own workout.”

Faingaa’s anxiety is more related to being apart from wife Alicia and children Sienna, 5, Saia Junior, 3, and Soli, 10 months, who are staying across the border in Bangalow.

Anthony Faingaa gets as close as he can to deliver the goods. Pic Annette Dew

“The kids can’t understand why I’m ‘home’ but can’t be with them yet, but it’ll be a big day on the 20th when I get dropped at the Queensland border and walk into NSW,” Faingaa said.

For now, the Easter bunny will take the shape of Ed Quirk or Sef Fa’agase.

Faingaa has discovered his former Reds teammates are in self-quarantine on the fifth floor of the same city hotel after returning from Japanese clubs.

“’Let’s do Easter together’...it’s funny because Sef and I have the same view one floor apart,” Faingaa said.