South African rugby has been plunged into mourning after Hyron Andrews, a 31-year-old lock with the Johannesburg-based Lions, died on Friday morning at the team’s hotel in France, just hours before his side’s opening Investec Champions Cup fixture against Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle.
Hyron Andrews died in France on Friday on the eve of the men's European Champions Cup game between the Johannesburg-based Lions and La Rochelle, with both SA Rugby and the Lions confirming the 31-year-old lock forward's identity. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the international game just as the new European club season was getting under way.
What happened at the team hotel
According to reports, the 31-year-old married father of two was found unresponsive in a shower cubicle at a hotel on the Île de Ré, off the west coast of France. He was pronounced dead following unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate him by paramedics called shortly after 9.20am UK time on Friday.
Andrews and his team-mates had been preparing for the following afternoon's Champions Cup match at Stade Marcel-Deflandre at the Hôtel Atalante in Sainte-Marie-de-Ré. French investigators have opened an inquiry, with the public prosecutor in La Rochelle confirming that an investigation had been opened to determine the cause of death, and saying that an accidental death was currently the leading line of inquiry. An autopsy is expected to follow.
Who was Hyron Andrews
A product of South African age-grade rugby, Andrews previously represented the Durban-based Sharks from 2015 to 2024, and made two appearances for the Junior Boks in 2015. The 31-year-old second-row forward had spent the previous two years of his career playing for Sale Sharks in England before returning home this summer to join the Lions.
From Durban to Salford
At Sale, Andrews played 45 times for the club after first joining Sale from South African side Sharks in 2024 on a short-term deal but earning a contract extension. His time in English rugby's Gallagher Premiership earned him admirers well beyond South Africa.
A fresh start with the Lions
Back home this season, Andrews appeared in all three of the Lions' URC matches as the United Rugby Championship campaign got under way, before travelling to France for the club's first ever appearance in the Champions Cup. He is survived by his wife and two young children: Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli extended sympathies to Maiglin, their young sons Hendrix and Emerson and the entire Andrews family.
An Irish link to a grieving opponent
The fixture Andrews was preparing for takes on extra resonance in Ireland: La Rochelle have been coached since 2021 by former Munster and Ireland out-half Ronan O’Gara, one of the most recognisable figures in Irish rugby. The French club said a moment of homage would be observed before kick-off as a mark of respect.
Tributes from across the game
Lions chief executive Rudolf Straeuli led the tributes: “We are heartbroken by the passing of Hyron,” he said. Sale Sharks, where Andrews spent two seasons, also paid their respects. “Hyron was just a brilliant guy and a brilliant teammate. He was so skilled on the field but, off it, he was always someone you would want to have a beer with,” said Sharks Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson.
What South African rugby said
The game's governing body in South Africa also responded, with the thoughts of the rugby family said to be with his loved ones at this time. Prem Rugby added that everyone at the competition and its clubs was “deeply saddened by the passing of Hyron Andrews” and extended heartfelt sympathies to his family and friends.
Why the match will still go ahead
Rather than postponing, the Lions squad chose to fulfil the fixture. The club confirmed that the 10bet Lions would fulfil the match in honour of Andrews, with the fixture scheduled to kick off at 18:30 South African time on October 17. EPCR added that the squad, as a group, chose to play as planned in honour of their team-mate, with a moment's silence to be held ahead of every Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup match this weekend.
Beyond Saturday's game, the focus now shifts to the French investigation into exactly how Andrews died, and to supporting his family and a Lions squad that must somehow find the strength to take the field in his honour. For a group only a few matches into their first-ever European campaign, grief and rugby will sit uneasily side by side this weekend.