Hyron Andrews of South African club Lions, who were due to face Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle in their Champions Cup debut tomorrow, has been found dead this morning.

Andrews, 31, is believed to have fallen at the team hotel, as La Rochelle head coach O’Gara finds himself at the centre of another rugby-related tragedy, 10 years to the day after the sudden passing of his former Munster teammate and friend Anthony Foley in Paris, at the age of 42.

O’Gara has visited the Lions at their hotel today to offer his condolences.

Saturday’s game will go ahead “in honour of Hyron”.

According to local reports, emergency services were called to the Johannesburg team’s hotel in Ile de Re, near La Rochelle, at around 10am this morning.

It is reported that the player was found unconscious in a shower cubicle at the hotel in France, where the team had been staying since Tuesday.

More to follow...