Cardiff Rugby flight leaves South Africa after 24 hour delay

The majority of Cardiff's squad and backroom staff spent almost two weeks in Cape Town, South Africa

Cardiff Rugby left South Africa on Friday morning and are flying back to the UK via Ireland.

The squad were initially due to leave South Africa on Thursday after securing a charter flight and quarantine accommodation in England.

However, their original flight to Dublin was cancelled when their landing slot was removed.

The players and staff will now arrive at London's Heathrow airport on Friday evening.

The 42 members of the travelling party had all returned a negative PCR test prior to travelling to South Africa, two negative lateral flow tests and a further five consecutive PCR tests, all with negative results, in Cape Town.

Six individuals have returned positive results and have been transferred to a South African Covid-19 quarantine hotel.

In a statement released after the flight's departure, the club thanked a number of organisations and individuals they say played a key role in their repatriation, including the Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart, the United Rugby Championship, Welsh Rugby Union and South African Rugby Union.

The statement also said: "While we are grateful to confirm the departure of 42 players and staff today, attention now turns solely to the six who have been forced to stay in South Africa.

"They remain in good health, and are receiving the best possible care and support necessary. We hope to repatriate them to the UK as soon as possible and are also grateful to Rhondda MP Chris Bryant for raising their plight in Parliament."

The region also thanked Cardiff Central MP Jo Stephens and Llanelli MP Nia Griffiths for their "constant source of support and advice " and praised the efforts of the Wales Office for "working tirelessly.

A later statement thanked the Welsh Government for "their support and guidance throughout the pandemic and this repatriation process" and to ministers Vaughan Gething and Dawn Bowden for meeting with Cardiff, Scarlets and Welsh Rugby Union yesterday.

It was the third time Cardiff had tried to leave South Africa after travel restrictions were imposed by the UK government last week.

Cardiff are planned to face European champions Toulouse at the Arms Park on Saturday, 11 December.

As the Welsh side will be without 32 players - and 16 members of staff - who will be quarantining in either England or South Africa, they intend to field a team comprised of academy players, reserves and Wales internationals who did not travel to South Africa.

Both Cardiff's scheduled United Rugby Championship matches in South Africa against the Lions and Stormers were postponed but the club say they must play two Heineken Champions Cup encounters, against Toulouse and English champions Harlequins.

A 10-day period of quarantine means those self-isolating will be able to play no part in the European fixtures.

The players will still be in self-isolation for the Toulouse game and while they will be released in time for the Harlequins match at the Stoop on 18 December, their conditioning will not enable them to be match fit after missing three weeks of training.

There are six members of Wales' autumn squad who could be available after they remained in Cardiff while the rest of the squad travelled to South Africa.

Cardiff chief executive Richard Holland took to social media to express his relief at the party's departure from South Africa and indicated the six left behind are male.

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