Connacht and Saracens players and fans during a minute's silence in memory of former Sale lock Hyron Andrews ahead of the Champions Cup match at the Dexcom Stadium in Galway  © Brian Lawless/PA

Several of the players from South Africa’s Lions side could not hold back tears as they paid an emotional tribute to teammate Hyron Andrews ahead of their Champions Cup fixture against French side La Rochelle on Saturday.

Andrews, 31, was found unresponsive at the team’s hotel on the Ile de Re on Friday and could not be resuscitated. No cause of death has yet been determined.

A statement from South Africa Rugby said he “died after falling at the team hotel”.

The Lions decided to play the fixture in honour of Andrews and put in a spirited display but went down 31-14 to the more fancied home side.

Hyron Andrews, who died following a fall while away with his Lions team ahead of their Champions Cup match against La Rochelle in France  © Martin Rickett/the Press Associa

La Rochelle fans had formed a guard of honour to welcome the visitors at the stadium.

Andrews’ number 5 jersey was laid out in front of his teammates as an impeccably observed moment of silence was held at the Stade Marcel-Deflandre.

Ruan Delport, selected to play in the second row, instead wore the number 24, leaving Andrews’ number free.

South Africans on the La Rochelle side, Dillyn Leyds and Salmaan Moerat, presented a special number 5 jersey to Lions coach Ivan Van Rooyen, while the ground erupted into applause in the fifth minute of the match.

The Lions also have two United Rugby Championship fixtures in Scotland on their European tour, at Edinburgh next Friday and Glasgow Warriors the week after.