By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The entire South African leg of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship is under threat as European sides scramble to fly out of the country.
On Thursday evening the UK government made the announcement that South Africa was to return to its travel ‘red list’ following the identification of a new, potentially more infectious Covid-19 variant.
South Africa had previously been removed from the red list in early October but the reintroduction now makes travel between the two countries impossible. A ban on all air travel is set to come into force at midday (14:00 SA time) on 26 November.
Welsh rugby teams Cardiff and Scarlets are trying to return home from South Africa after the country was put on the UK red travel list.
Fifteen UK and Ireland golfers have also withdrawn from the Joburg Open, which started on Thursday.
UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said from 12:00 GMT on Friday, six countries would be added to the red list.
Any British resident arriving from the countries after 04:00 GMT on Sunday must quarantine in a hotel.
Those returning before that would be asked to isolate at home for 10 days.
Golf’s Joburg Open is the first tournament on the newly-named DP World Tour – formerly the European Tour – and the start of a scheduled three-week swing of events in South Africa.
Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini are the other African countries which are on the red list, with flights temporarily suspended from these nations.
The Welsh government has adopted travel rules for England in recent times and any direct flight into the UK from South Africa would usually land in England.
Cardiff and Scarlets are exploring trying to return home on Friday before the quarantine deadline with charter flights being considered.
Following the news of a new COVID-19 variant in South Africa, Scarlets would like to assure families and friends that we are making every effort to get our touring party back home to the UK as soon as possible. We will provide further updates as soon as we can.
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) November 26, 2021
The announcement has also created another logistical nightmare for SA Rugby and URC organisers who will now have to scramble to find some solution to the matches that are set to be cancelled. An already packed schedule does not leave ample time for rescheduling fixtures.