South African rugby player Hyron ​Andrews dies in France ahead of Champions Cup debut

South African rugby player Hyron Andrews of Johannesburg-based side the Lions was found dead at a hotel in France on Friday, on the eve of his team's Champions Cup match against La Rochelle, local authorities told AFP. A source close to the investigation said the 31-year-old lock was found in cardiac arrest in a shower cubicle that was locked from the inside. The public prosecutor in La Rochelle, western France, confirmed that an investigation had been opened to determine the cause of death, which occurred on the island of Ile de Ré, and said that an accidental death was currently the leading line of inquiry. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. An autopsy is due to be carried out, the source close to the investigation said. "This devastating news has sent shockwaves through the international rugby community," the Lions said in a statement. "The former Sharks and Sale Sharks lock forward was a valued member of the Lions family, and his loss will be felt profoundly by his teammates, coaches, supporters and all who had the privilege of knowing him." Andrews had only returned to his native South Africa earlier this ...