Blues put hands up over Kiwi visa error
LEINSTER have accepted responsibility for the embarrassing error which saw New Zealand pair Isa Nacewa and Jamison Gibson-Park forced to return to Dublin after being refused entry to South Africa.
Captain Nacewa and scrum-half Gibson-Park were travelling with the 28-man Leinster squad who are set to take on Pro14 new additions the Southern Kings and Cheetahs over the coming week, but were blocked from entering the country at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo Airport at around 10am local time (9am Irish time), where they spent the day as Leinster officials tried to find a solution, before accepting defeat and returning home.
Both players had played in South Africa during their Super Rugby days, but the province were unaware of a change in immigration arrangement between South Africa and New Zealand that has been in place since January, ending a 20-year free travel arrangement between the two nations.
After the two players were forced to return to Dublin, Leinster’s head of rugby operations, Guy Easterby, released a statement in which the Blues accepted full responsibility.
‘As of 16 January 2017 a visa is required for New Zealand nationals entering South Africa,’ read the statement. ‘Unfortunately this visa was not applied for by Leinster Rugby on behalf of Jamison Gibson-Park and Isa Nacewa in advance of the squad leaving Dublin Airport on Tuesday afternoon.
‘It was only brought to our attention upon landing into Johannesburg on Wednesday morning that this was now a requirement.
‘This was clearly an administrative oversight on our part and a valuable lesson has been learned.’
Scrum-half Nick McCarthy flew out yesterday to take the place of Gibson-Park, with the absence of the versatile Nacewa to be covered by those in the original touring squad, which was already massively depleted due to a number of injuries to key players. Leinster travelled to Port Elizabeth yesterday ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Kings, and will return to their Cape Town base before moving to Bloemfontein next week for their game against the Cheetahs on Friday. With Leinster and Italian side Zebre the first sides tasked with travelling to take on the South African teams, the error will serve as a warning to the remaining Pro14 teams that will make the trip this season.
The ruling which came into effect in January states that New Zealand passport holders outside of the country who wish to travel to South Africa must submit a visa application at their nearest South African embassy.
Currently, Irish passport holders do not require a visa to visit South Africa.
While Leinster put their hands up regarding the issue, the incident does not reflect well on Pro14 organisers. The fact that the visa ruling had changed should clearly have been highlighted and given special emphasis, given the decision to add the two South African teams was made official just one month before the start of the season, only giving Leinster a small window to organise flights, accommodation and any other requirements.
In a league peppered with New Zealand born-players, there will be plenty of clubs scrambling to their nearest South African embassy over the coming weeks.
Of the Irish provinces, Connacht lead the Kiwi head-count, with six New Zealanders in their first team squad — Bundee Aki, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Jake Heenan, Jarrad Buttler, Stacey Ili and Tom McCartney. The Westerners will also require a visa for new head coach Kieran Keane.
Ulster will be the next province heading to South Africa in November and, potentially, they will need five visas — Rodney Ah You, Jared Payne, Charles Piutau, Sean Reidy and head coach Jono Gibbes are all New Zealand-born, while Tyler Bleyendaal and Rhys Marshall are the only Kiwis on Munster’s books.
The Reds don’t make the trip south until April, with Connacht heading over in March during the Six Nations rest weeks.