Springbok stars stuck in Japan
NEWS: Several Springboks are stranded in Japan after an international airline cancelled all flights to South Africa.
Duane Vermeulen, Jesse Kriel and Malcolm Marx were among a group of South African players and coaches stuck at a Tokyo airport on Monday.
Vermeulen, who recently signed with the Bulls for the next season, posted a video on Twitter which showed a group of people at the airport.
Aside from Vermuelen, Kriel and Marx, former Springboks coach Allister Coetzee, former Bulls and Lions coach Frans Ludeke and former Cheetahs flyhalf Fred Zeilinga can be seen in the video.
Good times finding out our flights are cancelled as we arrive at check in counter. Absolutely no support from @emirates Stuck in Japan indefinitely with my family back home….🤬🤬 pic.twitter.com/f0iZmsoYTc
— Duane Vermeulen (@duane_vermeulen) March 23, 2020
The group were set to return home after Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) cancelled the Top League for the rest of the season because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement, The Japanee League organisers revealed they have cancelled the season after Australia and New Zealand and others urged citizens to return to their home countries, which mean that many of foreign players in the Top League will return to their homes.
However, with Emirates cancelling most of their flights it remains unclear how and when the players will return home.
Last week, Wallaby Matt Giteau also took to Twitter to expressed his concerns at the prospect of being barred from their native countries for the foreseeable future.
There are more important things than rugby right now.. I love living & playing here in Japan but not to the extent of being locked out of Australia away from my family til June. Im hoping Top League can make a decision, either way before it’s too late🤞🏼#coronavirus
— Matt Giteau 🇦🇺 (@giteau_rugby) March 18, 2020
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