Leinster have been forced to send their captain Isa Nacewa and scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park back home to Dublin.
The Blues are in South Africa for this weekend's Guinness PRO14 clash with Southern Kings and the meeting with Cheetahs on the following Friday.
The squad landed in Johannesburg today but were held up due to visa issues relating to Nacewa and Gibson-Park.
The province would not divulge any more details this afternoon but released a statement this afternoon confirming the bad news.
"Leinster Rugby can confirm that both Jamison Gibson-Park and Isa Nacewa have not been granted a visa at this point in time and will as a result return to Dublin at the earliest opportunity.
"Nick McCarthy has been called up to the touring squad as a result and will arrive tomorrow. Leinster Rugby will be making no further comment on this matter."
Both men are New Zealand citizens which would seem to be the reason for their failure to get a visa.
According to the traveller24.com website:
'In 1996 the Republic of South Africa and the Government of New Zealand implemented visa free movement to holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passports from each other’s territory for visits not exceeding a period of three months.'
That agreement came to an end this year when the South African Department of Home Affairs confirmed that travellers from New Zealand will have to obtain a visa to enter South Africa from January 16.
That followed the decision of the New Zealand government last October to enforce a visa restriction for South Africans.
Getting a visa is not an easy process either as applicants must bring the relevant documents to the South African High Commission in Wellington to submit the application in person.
The mix-up now leaves head coach Leo Cullen with just 27 players in his touring squad for the two games and competition rules restrict teams from replacing any potential injured players whilst in South Africa.
