Nemo is finding himself again
Carr will be captaining the Stormers against the Jaguares in a pre-season match at Newlands on Saturday and he is hoping it will be a start of a successful period for him.
The 24-year-old was struck down with a viral infection in January last year, which hampered his preparation for the 2015 season. He subsequently struggled to regain the form which made him Springbok on the national side's end-of-year tour in 2014.
"I woke up the one morning and then the next thing I could not breathe," said Carr as he recalled his experience last year. "Eight doctors looked after me and not a single one could tell me what was happening to me. They just said it was virus. I lost all my fitness and I lost a lot of weight as well.
"I had to play catch up – the first three games I was on the bench because I was not fit and in the fourth game I found myself starting again.
"I did not perform the way I wanted to and it was also up and down with the Springboks coming in, resting them and then starting again. Last year is something I want to forget about."
Carr said he wants to make the No.8 jersey his own this year and maintained that he will not be changing his style to play like former Stormers' teammate Duane Vermeulen.
"Fleckie [Robbie Fleck] said that I should focus on my own strengths and to shore up my weaknesses," said Carr.
"It is an exciting season ahead and I am not looking to play any other role.
"I am looking to make that position mine and I think this is a good opportunity for me to seal that position this year. However, with the competition [in the squad] it is not going to be easy."
Many fans believe the Stormers have an "easy" fixture schedule in this new expanded Super Rugby competition as they do not play any New Zealand teams in the league phase.
They have been drawn in Africa Conference One, which will see them play teams from the Australian conference as well the other teams from South Africa and the two new teams in the Sunwolves and Jaguares.
However, Carr believes it will be a big mistake if they go into the competition thinking it will be a walk in the park
"Although it seems easier, we are not going into the competition with that mindset. We are going to enter every game as if it is a final and we will take it from there.
"Some of the boys are a bit disappointed that they cannot test themselves against the New Zealand sides. Hopefully we get them in the semifinal and final," Carr added.
By Warren Fortune
@FortuneWarren
@rugby365com
