Rugby mourns Hyron Andrews, the lock teammates called ‘Ice’
JOHANNESBURG — The Lions will play their Champions Cup match against La Rochelle in honour of Hyron Andrews after the 31-year-old lock died in France on Friday, a day before the fixture.
Andrews was touring with the Johannesburg side, which he joined from England’s Sale Sharks ahead of the current season. He had already featured in all three of the Lions’ opening United Rugby Championship matches.
The Lions confirmed his death and said Saturday’s match would go ahead as a tribute to their teammate. SA Rugby said Andrews died following an accident while on team duty in France.
Lions chief executive Rudolf Straeuli described Andrews as both a gifted player and a cherished member of the club, despite having joined only recently. He extended the organisation’s condolences to Andrews’s wife, their two young sons and the wider family.
“We are heartbroken by the passing of Hyron,” Straeuli said.
The loss also brought a deeply personal tribute from the Sharks, where Andrews spent a decade between 2014 and 2024. Known to teammates as “Ice”, he arrived in Durban as a young player and left as a husband and father before continuing his career in England.
The Sharks remembered his friendships with teammates, coaches and staff alongside his contribution on the field. Chief executive Shaun Bryans said the club had watched him grow into a committed family man and would stand beside his loved ones.
Born in Paarl and educated at Hoërskool Garsfontein in Pretoria, Andrews also represented the Junior Springboks in 2015. His career connected clubs across South Africa and England, whose tributes reflected the relationships he built throughout the game.
He leaves his wife, Maighlin, and sons Hendrix and Emerson. The Lions said further details of their tribute would be communicated in due course.
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