Education
Carstens attended Franschoek Primary and Boland High School and represented the South African Under-19 side in 1998 at tight head property
Carstens attended Franschoek Primary and Boland High School and represented the South African Under-19 side in 1998 at tight head property
He also played for Saracens in the English Premiership. He announced his retirement in 2013 after an ongoing back injury. Carstens made his senior provincial and Super rugby debut in 2001 for the Sharks.
He was selected to tour Europe with the South African national side in 2002 and made his test debut on that tour, against Scotland on 16 November 2002.
In April 2010 it was announced that Carstens had agreed to join the Saracens Football Club for the 2010-2011 season. In November 2011, it was announced that he returned to South Africa to join the Stormers for the 2012 Super Rugby season.
He played rugby for the Sharks and Stormers in Super Rugby and for Natal Sharks and Western Province in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup competitions. Scotland won the match by a record score of 21 points to 6. Carstens has won the Currie Cup 3 times, twice with Natal (2008 & 2010) and once with Western Province (2012). He was also part of the Saracens squad that won the 2010-2011 English Premiership.
He is a versatile player who can cover either side of the front row.