Pioneer Carr breaks down more barriers
NIZAAM CARR has not been wearing the expression of a man plagued by regret in recent weeks, despite missing out on South Africa’s end-of-season tour of Europe.
While the Springboks were heading home this week, priming themselves for yet another inquest into their slide down the world rankings, Carr has yet to experience defeat since he joined Wasps on a short-term deal last month. His fourth victory in as many matches was a thrilling win over Leicester Tigers at the Ricoh Arena, during which the fleetfooted No 8 timed his run on to Dan Robson’s short pass so beautifully that three Tigers’ defenders were left flailing as he surged to the line. His tally now reads three tries in four matches, with the potential to add more away to La Rochelle on Sunday.
Carr, 26, is playing his club rugby for the first time away from Cape Town, where he packed down for the Stormers, but this is one player who has always been comfortable treading new ground. When Carr made his debut for South Africa, against Italy three years ago, he became the first Muslim to play for the Springboks. Now he is the only Muslim playing in the Aviva Premiership.
‘‘Cape Town has one of the biggest Muslim communities and they’ve been with me through thick and thin,’’ Carr says. ‘‘I’m living a lot of their dreams because, during the apartheid era they couldn’t achieve those things. I don’t only represent myself, I represent my community and the broader Muslim community. I always carry that responsibility with me.’’
After winning the most recent of his five caps last year, many observers in South Africa were surprised when Carr was omitted from the Springboks squad to travel to Europe this autumn. Missing out on one Springbok tour, though, is small fry in comparison to the opportunities that were denied previous generations of his family, confined by apartheid to playing within their own communities.
‘‘My father [Feizel] played for Western Province coloured team, and my mum’s dad [Abubakr Pretorius] was even better, he played for the coloured South Africa team,’’ Carr says. ‘‘Whenever I meet people who saw him play, they always say, ‘Your grandfather was a way better player than you!’ ‘‘ Yet nobody would ever know quite how good Carr’s grandfather and his generation might have been, given the restrictions imposed by apartheid.
Carr grew up in Mitchells Plain, one of the largest townships in South Africa, built east of Cape Town in the 1970s to house communities forcibly evicted from areas near Table Mountain that the apartheid Government had decreed to be white-only. The township is riven by gang and drug-related problems and Collegians Rugby Club became a sanctuary for Carr in his early years. Soon, his talent with ball in hand was noticed and he was granted a scholarship to Bishops Diocesan College, where he was christened ‘‘Nemo’’ because of an ability to get lost on his way to lessons. The majority of his family, though, remain in Mitchells Plain.
‘‘I grew up in a disadvantaged area, there weren’t many facilities to play rugby,’’ he says. ‘‘But mymumand dad supported me all the way, making sure there was food on the table. It wasn’t easy. As a rugby player, I had to be a certain weight and I’m not the tallest [at 6ft], so I had to bulk up. They always made sure I had enough to eat.’’
Keeping the weight on has been a challenge during his professional career, particularly when Ramadan falls in the South African season. ‘‘I’ve been fasting while playing for the past six years and it can be tough.
‘‘In that month, I usually lose about 12-13kg [about 2st]. I’d wake up at 3am to have a protein shake and a proper meal. I’d be tired the next day, but I have a good understanding with Robbie Fleck [Stormers coach], I’d train in the morning and early afternoon, then just watch later on.
‘‘I’ve found it easy to fit in here, I’ve found a few mosques.’’ TIMES