South African rugby player Hyron Andrews died of natural causes, autopsy shows

Found at the team hotel

Hyron Andrews, a 31-year-old South African second row, was found unresponsive on 16 October at a hotel in France where the Johannesburg Lions were staying. His team was due to play Stade Rochelais in the Champions Cup the next day. Emergency services attended and found him in cardiorespiratory arrest, and attempts to resuscitate him failed. Earlier reports said he had been found in a shower cubicle, and investigators had considered a fall, a heart attack and an aneurysm. French authorities had also weighed the possibility of an accidental death before the autopsy results were published.

Autopsy findings

On Wednesday, 21 October, the Lions published details from the autopsy report, which named an aortic dissection as the cause of death and said it most likely occurred on an aortic aneurysm. The club attributed the findings to the French authorities who carried out the examination, who described a tear in the aorta caused by natural causes that led to a large build-up of blood in the sac around the heart. The aorta is the main artery carrying blood away from the heart, and a tear in it is a rare, dangerous condition that can be caused by undetected high blood pressure or a birth defect. Andrews' body remains in French custody, and the Lions said no timeline has been set for its return to South Africa. The family has asked for respect, privacy and patience as the repatriation process begins.

Match played in his honour

The Lions kept their fixture against La Rochelle on Saturday, 17 October, and lost 31-14 in the Champions Cup. The match was the Johannesburg side's first in the competition since South African teams joined it in the 2022-23 season. Players and replacements lined up in front of a Lions shirt bearing the No. 5 worn by Andrews during a minute's silence before kick-off. Home supporters applauded the visitors into the Stade Marcel-Deflandre, and spontaneous applause rose in his memory in the fifth minute. Several Lions players were in tears during the silence, according to the BBC.

Career and tributes

Andrews was born in Paarl and played for the KZN Sharks before moving to England in 2024, where he made 45 appearances for Sale Sharks over about two and a half seasons. He returned to South Africa this summer to join the Lions, making two appearances in this season's United Rugby Championship. SA Rugby said he had also represented the Junior Springboks in 2015. Lions chief executive Rudolf Straeuli described the loss in a statement.

We are heartbroken by the passing of Hyron.

Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson said the squad, to a man, had loved playing with him. SA Rugby president Mark Alexander also issued a statement.

This is terrible and distressing news; our hearts go out to Hyron's family and the whole Lions rugby community.

Andrews is survived by his wife and two young sons. The Lions said further information would be shared when available and under the guidance of the family.