Hyron Andrews

Andrews died on the morning of Friday 16 October 2026 at the Atalante-Relais Thalasso hotel in Sainte-Marie-de-Re on the Ile de Re, Charente-Maritime, France, where the Lions had been staying since the Tuesday before their Champions Cup match against Stade Rochelais. He was 31. According to French reports, emergency services were called shortly after 10:20am and found him in cardiorespiratory arrest in a shower cubicle that was locked from the inside. He could not be revived.

The La Rochelle public prosecutor, Arnaud Laraize, opened an inquiry to establish the cause of death and said that an accidental death was the favoured hypothesis. The exact medical cause had not been made public. The hotel set up psychological support for staff and players.

The Lions confirmed his death in a statement that afternoon, saying the news had sent shockwaves through the international rugby community and asking that the family's privacy be respected. The club said its match against La Rochelle on 17 October, the first Champions Cup game in its history, would go ahead in honour of Hyron, and that an appropriate tribute would be arranged later. Sale Sharks said everyone at the club was devastated, remembering him as a much-loved member of the squad.

Hyron Diego Andrews was born in Paarl, in the Western Cape, on 6 July 1995. He was educated at Hoerskool Garsfontein in Pretoria and studied at Eta College.

He came through the Blue Bulls schools system. He represented the Blue Bulls at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2011 and at the Under-18 Craven Week, South Africa's premier schools tournament, in both 2012 and 2013, making three appearances each time and scoring two tries in 2013. He was also named in the South Africa Schools squad in 2012.

After finishing school Andrews joined the Sharks Academy in Durban. In 2014 he started all thirteen of the Sharks Under-19 side's matches as they reached the semi-final of the Under-19 Provincial Championship.

He made his first-class debut for the Sharks XV on 21 March 2015, coming off the bench in a 53-0 Vodacom Cup win over the Border Bulldogs, and started the next four matches. That year he was selected for the South Africa Under-20 squad, started a win over Argentina on a two-match tour and appeared as a replacement against Samoa and Australia at the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Italy, where South Africa finished third.

Andrews went on to play 77 matches for the Sharks in Super Rugby and later the United Rugby Championship between 2016 and 2024, along with 26 appearances for the Sharks XV and 28 in the Currie Cup. A 2.03-metre lock weighing about 108 kilograms, he was known for his athleticism and lineout work.

In February 2024 he moved to England, joining Sale Sharks in the Premiership on a short-term deal. He earned a contract extension and played 45 games for Sale over two seasons. In the 2026 off-season he returned to South Africa to join the Lions in Johannesburg, and he was with the squad in France for the club's Champions Cup debut when he died. He represented South Africa at schools and under-20 level but was never capped by the Springboks.

Andrews was married to Maiglin, and the couple had two young sons, Hendrix and Emerson. Lions chief executive Rudolf Straeuli described him as not only a gifted rugby player but also a cherished member of the Lions family.

Andrews belonged to the generation of South African forwards who built careers across the United Rugby Championship and the English Premiership. He gave close to a decade to the Sharks, became a popular figure at Sale, and joined the Lions as an experienced lock as the Johannesburg side entered European rugby's top competition for the first time. His sudden death on the eve of that milestone match drew tributes from clubs and supporters in South Africa, England and France.