The Wales winger Leigh Halfpenny will not travel with the British and Irish Lions squad to South Africa on Sunday.

The Lions medical team have decided that Halfpenny should remain at home to undergo intensive treatment on a thigh injury that has proved to be more significant than first thought.

Halfpenny remains part of the squad and he will join the Lions squad in South Africa once he has regained full fitness. He is expected to be out of action for up to a fortnight.

Because Halfpenny has been effectively ruled out of the first two matches – against a Royal XV in Bafokeng on 30 May and against the Golden Lions in Johannesburg on 3 June – the Lions' head coach, Ian McGeechan, will name a replacement. This will take the squad back up to 37 players.

Halfpenny will leave the Lions camp at Pennyhill Park in Bagshot tomorrow and return to Cardiff.

In a statement, the Lions medical team confirmed the injury will require at least 10 to 14 days' treatment.

"It is the belief of the Lions management team that it would be better for the player to receive intensive treatment in Cardiff," said the statement. "The management have always had the expectation that travelling players should be fit to play the first game on tour.

"A replacement player will be announced in due course. However, once Leigh Halfpenny is fully fit he will rejoin the Lions in South Africa."

Last week, McGeechan decided not to replace the injured centre Tom Shanklin. However, the Lions will now be looking for a replacement to cover Halfpenny's position on the wing and, potentially, full-back, and also his goal-kicking.

The squad's two fly-halves, Ronan O'Gara and Stephen Jones, are the only other recognised goal-kickers in the squad.

The England full-back Delon Armitage missed out when the Lions chose not to replace Shanklin but his name will now return to the frame. Armitage took the longer-range goal-kicks for London Irish in last weekend's Guinness Premiership final defeat by Leicester.

Josh Lewsey, the Wasps back who is due to retire at the end of the season, is also on the standby list. He would offer cover on the wing and in the centre, though he is not a goal-kicker.