WATCH: Nizaam Carr reveals his hilarious 'passion gap' story on the 'Behind the Ruck' podcast

Nizaam Carr, the Cape Town‑born, Mitchell’s Plain‑raised loose forward who made history as the first Muslim to take the field for the Springboks, recently pulled back the curtain on more than just his rugby career. 

Carr was a guest on the podcast "Behind the Ruck", hosted by former Springboks Rudy Paige and Juan de Jongh, where rugby meets real talk.

The two‑hour episode delivered everything: match memories, faith journeys, family roots and yes, a moment that had us breeking (laughing out loud) ourselves.

In the segment “I show, he tells”, Carr scrolls through childhood and career snapshots. One photo shows him between Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and Stormers hooker, Scarra Ntubeni, standing in a hotel lobby.

“And then the last one, which is an interesting one. Obviously, you’re a teammate of this bad boy,” De Jongh said, showing an image of  Carr with Kolisi and Ntubeni. But there was one thing missing, Carr’s front tooth.

Carr shared the backstory himself. He explained that Kolisi and Ntubeni asked him to pose without the tooth, which is hilarious and adorable at the same time. 

The tooth had loosened after a heavy tackle from former Lions hooker Willie Wepener during a match. An incident that Paige jokingly said might have deserved a red card.

“He hit me so hard. The tooth was loose but didn’t fall out immediately. And then a week later I realised something is not right,” he said.

And then came the moment that would forever make fans smile. “And then I was eating, the tooth fell out, and then the people called it a 'passion gap’.”

For those unfamiliar, a “passion gap” is a playful nickname for a missing front tooth,  a small imperfection turned into a hilarious, endearing moment.

This moment perfectly shows Carr’s humility, his sense of humour, and the unique camaraderie within the squad.

It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes story that reminds fans: these elite athletes are only human, they laugh, they make mistakes, and sometimes, a missing tooth can spark a lifetime of inside jokes.

Off‑the‑ball, Carr’s faith is central. He opened up about how being a practising Muslim, balancing fasting and rugby training, elevated his sense of purpose beyond the pitch. His message encourages to stay grounded, show respect, and live with integrity.