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Experienced Bulls loose forward Nizaam Carr discusses his evolving role in the team as Cameron Hanekom returns from injury, ahead of crucial URC clash against table-leaders Leinster at Loftus Versfeld.
Bulls loose forward Nizaam Carr said his side will be looking to avoid any hint of complacency against their Italian foes Benetton in their United Rugby Championship quarter-final this weekend.
This week Bulls back-rower Nizaam Carr marked the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, having fasted from dawn to dusk during the period.
Throughout a storied career with Western Province, the Stormers, Springboks and Wasps in England, Nizaam Carr would never have thought that he would end up at the Bulls in Pretoria.
Director of rugby Jake White has assembled an impressive cast since taking charge at Loftus Versfeld in 2020, and it is not only the big-name signings that have added real strength to the Bulls.
Bulls boss Jake White has confirmed that Springbok tighthead prop Louw won’t feature this weekend due to an AC joint injury in his shoulder.
Former Stormers teammate Deon Fourie is inspiring Nizaam Carr to keep pushing for a Springbok recall, having earned five Test caps.
Springbok World Cup winner Marco van Staden will replace Marcell Coetzee for the Bulls as they take on Connacht at Loftus Verfeld in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday.
The Bulls survived some close shaves and a yellow card to pull off a gutsy 18-12 United Rugby Championship victory over Cardiff in Wales on Friday night.
Embrose Papier sustained a hamstring injury in last week’s 31-27 loss to the Cheetahs at Loftus Versfeld and will miss the Bulls’ semi-final against the same opponents.
On 31 March in the Northern Free State, the Griffons pulled off a sensational victory over the Bulls and the result had far-reaching consequences.
It has been an ongoing debate since last season, when director of rugby Jake White often picked the same team in the domestic competition for a week-day match, and for the Saturday United Rugby Championship encounter.
The men from Pretoria have kept alive their hopes of making it to the semi-finals but it is going to be tough for the Lions after the heart-break loss.
Bulls loose forward Nizaam Carr says they will eventually get things right against the Stormers, who have won the past six games between the two teams.
The Pretoria side produced an impressive comeback from 27-7 down to make it a two-point game at 30-28 with about 17 minutes to go following prop Simphiwe Matanzima’s bonus-point try.
It was a nightmare at the Stade Gerland, where snow fell in bitterly cold conditions, and the Pretoria side were hammered in the scrums, at the breakdowns and in the physical battle.
Assistant coaches Chris Rossouw and Russell Winter have turned to Ruan Nortje, Springbok No 8 Elrigh Louw and the established front row of Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar and Mornay Smith.
The 31-year-old Nizaam Carr would have experienced such conditions before, having spent a good few years at Wasps in England.
To be fair to Jake White, though, he doesn’t have many other options following the departure of regular captain Marcell Coetzee, lock Walt Steenkamp and loose forward Arno Botha to overseas clubs.
Bulls coach Jake White was thrilled that he could include Springbok hot-stepper Kurt-Lee Arendse during his team announcement on Friday.
The Pretoria side played some thrilling rugby at Loftus Versfeld, with one of the highlights being experienced flank Nizaam Carr scoring a superb individual try to set up a Man-of-the-Match award.
The idea was brought to light by Junaid Moerat, together with Springboks Juan de Jongh, Elton Jantjies, Cornal Hendricks, Scarra Ntubeni, Nizaam Carr and Springbok Sevens legend Cecil Afrika.
According to technical analyst and skills coach Labeeb Levy, the Stormers want to play a brand of rugby that suits the Western Cape.
Bulls coach Jake White says his team was buzzing after their win on Friday, while the Stormers were proud of their performance, despite going down at Loftus.
Friday’s clash between the Bulls and Stormers was the first time that there were two Muslim skippers in a match in the modern era of top-level South African rugby.