JOHANNESBURG – Former World Cup winning coach, Jake White, has landed another big-name player with the news that former Stormers and Springbok loose-forward Nizaam Carr will play for the Bulls in future.
The 29-year-old is the latest star to be recruited by new Bulls Director of Rugby, White. Carr joins from Wasps in England, where he has played since 2018. Before his move north he turned out for the Stormers on 97 occasions and also earned five Bok caps between 2014 and 2016.
“Nizaam needs little introduction and I am happy he has decided to continue his career with the Bulls,” said White on Friday.
“His ability to perform under pressure will only benefit the Bulls while his experience will be used to mentor the younger loose-forwards in the squad. He has done well in England and it is great to have his talent back on South African soil.”
Carr is a former Bishops and Ikeys student and will compete with several players for a position in the Bulls back-row when rugby starts up again, following the suspension of the game due to the spread of the coronavirus. He will join his new team-mates as soon as he can return to South Africa from England.
Four other former Boks have been lured to Pretoria by White, who took over at Loftus Versfeld just a few weeks ago.
Veteran 37-year-old utility back Gio Aplon (17 Tests) has joined from Grenoble in France even though he most recently turned out for Toyota Verblitz in Japan, while former seven-Test Bok prop, Marcel van der Merwe (Toulon), has also joined the Pretoria team.
Wing and former Bulls man Travis Ismaiel (Harlequins) has also returned “home”, as has loose-forward Arno Botha, who most recently played for Munster in Ireland.
Exciting lock, Walt Steenkamp has swapped the Cheetahs for the Bulls, while the equally gifted and talented former SA Schools star, prop Jan-Hendrik Wessels, was also recently named as a Bulls man.
Nizaam Carr (left) pictured with his Wasps-based fellow South Africans Ashley Johnson, Willie le Roux and Juan de Jongh. Photo: Ashley Johnson on facebook
Meanwhile, it was also confirmed on Friday that wing Cornal Hendricks, who has overcome a heart problem to play rugby again, has re-signed with the Pretoria-based union.
White also recently named a new-look coaching team that includes former Lions defence coach Joey Mongalo and Stormers forwards boss, Russell Winter. There is also a new CEO in charge at Loftus in the form of former Ellis Park Stadium MD, Edgar Rathbone.