![Un joueur des Lions de Johannesburg, une équipe sud-africaine de rugby qui doit affronter La Rochelle ce samedi en Champions Cup, a été retrouvé mort dans sa chambre d'hôtel. [GAIZKA IROZ / AFP]](/cdn-cgi/image/onerror=redirect,width=640,height=640,format=webp/https://storage.googleapis.com/uploads.mongoosehq.com/url/media/189601281/eafb218d5fe15c8716ac41bf4e150de73ef92751f4f441594d9ad21bc1a3d706)
Overview
- The Lions confirmed 31‑year‑old Hyron Andrews was found dead in his hotel shower on Île de Ré on Friday and emergency services were unable to revive him.
- The public prosecutor in La Rochelle opened an inquiry that currently favours an accidental death and has scheduled an autopsy to determine the cause.
- The Lions and the EPCR decided to keep Saturday’s Champions Cup fixture against La Rochelle and organised a minute of silence, a removed number‑5 shirt and a five‑minute applause in his honour.
- Logistical problems delayed the team’s travel to the stadium on Saturday because of large local demonstrations, but the match proceeded with tributes and visible support for players and the family.
- Andrews, a husband and father who played for the Sharks and Sale Sharks before returning to the Lions, has prompted calls for privacy for his family and renewed attention on how clubs handle sudden deaths and player welfare.