Rugby teams from Munster and Cardiff, stranded in South Africa by coronavirus restrictions, announced Wednesday, December 1 that the majority of players and staff will leave the country by Thursday, but without certain elements that tested positive to the virus.
Most of Munster’s players left Cape Town on Tuesday evening, according to a statement from the Irish club. Cardiff, the last of four United Rugby Championship teams affected by travel bans, will leave on Thursday. But the two delegations had to leave behind elements that tested positive for the virus.
Fourteen members of the Munster team have thus remained in quarantine in Cape Town, while the Cardiff club have said that two of its members should remain in place. “The wider Munster squad left Cape Town this evening after a group of 34 players and staff tested negative after the fourth round of PCR tests in six days“Munster said in a statement.”Four more positive cases were identified in Tuesday’s round of PCR tests and a total group of 14 people will spend their respective isolation periods at the designated quarantine hotel in Cape Town.“, specifies the text.
The Munster squad will have to remain in quarantine for ten days upon arrival in Ireland, putting into question the Champions Cup opener against the Wasps on December 12.
Cardiff said his team would depart on a charter flight Thursday morning and spend ten days in a quarantine hotel in England before returning to Wales. Rhys Blumberg, Cardiff Rugby’s director of operations, criticized the Welsh government for refusing to allow the group to spend their quarantine period at home.
“The Welsh government’s empathy and support for Cardiff Rugby staff stranded in South Africa is absolutely appallingMr. Blumberg tweeted.No special treatment was requested, just support to get them back to Welsh soil so they can start their quarantineCardiff faces Toulouse on Saturday 11 December in the Champions Cup.
Another Welsh club, the Scarlets, and Italian club Zebre were able to leave South Africa on Sunday. All four clubs were scheduled to play URC matches in South Africa last weekend, but the fixtures were postponed after South Africa travel ban was announced after new variant Omicron was discovered. of the coronavirus.