Cardiff’s plans to return home from South Africa have been delayed after members of their squad tested positive for coronavirus.

The United Rugby Championship side had been hoping to fly out of Cape Town on Sunday after South Africa was added to the UK Government’s travel red list.

URC had been scheduled to stage its first fixtures on South African soil this weekend, but all four games were postponed.

The four round-six fixtures  – Scarlets v Sharks, Cardiff v Lions, Munster v Bulls and Stormers v Zebre Parma – were called off after UK officials sounded the alarm over a new variant of the virus in South Africa, which has the potential to evade immunity built up by vaccination or prior infection.

Cardiff said they have been unable to depart following two positive cases, one of which is suspected to be the new variant Omicron.

The Welsh club said in a statement: “As a consequence of one of these results suspected of being Omicron, the entire travelling party have returned to their hotel to isolate.

“Cardiff Rugby continue to work with the South African Rugby Union, the Welsh Rugby Union and public health authorities both at home and abroad to decide the next course of action.

“The club are also continuing to work with all relevant authorities to secure the travelling party’s return to Wales when safe and appropriate.”

Round seven fixtures, scheduled to take place in South Africa next weekend, have also been postponed.