European Champions Cup organisers have granted teams an “unlimited” number of new players for this season’s competition to counter the fallout from travel restrictions.

Munster, Cardiff and the Scarlets are short of squad members for their opening matches of the tournament after being stranded in South Africa following travel rule changes by their governments.

Munster and the Scarlets have returned to Ireland and Britain but the outfit from the Welsh capital were unable to fly home until Friday before beginning a 10-day isolation period.

The opening round of matches in the European Champions Cup starts on 10 December.

Previous rules stated that clubs could only register up to five additional players during the pool stages, after the November cut-off date.

“Following consultation with the leagues and unions, it has been decided to extend the first registration date from last month to allow all participating clubs to supplement their squads with an unlimited number of previously unregistered players,” European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) said.

“All new players will have to be registered on or before Wednesday, 8 December at midday.”

Fourteen of the Munster squad have remained in quarantine in Cape Town while the Scarlets left South Africa on Sunday.

Fellow United Rugby Championship side, Zebre Parma, also left the country last weekend. The Italian side are scheduled to host Biarritz in the second-tier Challenge Cup on 11 December.

“With no alternative weekends available in the 2021/22 season calendar, EPCR is in regular dialogue with the leagues and clubs to ensure that all possible measures are considered so that the matches take place as scheduled,” EPCR said.

“EPCR is mindful of how recent events have impacted on Cardiff Rugby, Munster Rugby, Scarlets and Zebre Parma in particular, and the tournament organiser would like to extend its best wishes to the players and staff who currently remain in South Africa, as well as to the players and staff who have been repatriated and are currently isolating,” it added.

Earlier, the Ospreys offered to loan players to the Scarlets as their local rivals have just 14 players fit to travel to the Bristol Bears on 11 December.

“We’re willing to help out because it’s important we see the bigger picture here,” Ospreys head coach Toby Booth told reporters.

“It will suit us giving people opportunities to play in a prestigious game,” he added.