COVID-HIT CARDIFF FACE NERVY CAPE TOWN WAIT

CARDIFF are preparing to belatedly fly out of Cape Town tomorrow — but first they face an anxious wait to discover whether their Covid outbreak has spread even further. Sportsmail understands that the Welsh region have had three more positive tests, taking their tally to five, and those members of their travelling party must stay behind in South Africa to isolate for 14 days. Munster were also stranded after the hasty postponement of United Rugby Championship fixtures, but the Irish province were due to leave last night on a flight home via Amsterdam, without 15 players and staff who are isolating after testing positive. There was a final round of testing for Cardiff yesterday morning, with results to be received today, which will decide how many of their party can fly to England tomorrow. Yesterday, all the signs were that the squad would fly to Dublin, after UK authorities initially refused to allow a charter to land following the emergence of the Omicron variant. There was uncertainty about where they would stay after their arrival in Ireland, but it has now been confirmed that they will spend 10 days at a UK Government Covid quarantine hotel. Both sides are determined to fulfil their opening European Champions Cup fixtures, albeit without any players currently in South Africa.