Johannesburg's Lions lost 31-14 in France on an emotional Champions Cup debut, with both sides honouring the late Hyron Andrews.
South Africa's Lions took the field in western France with heavy hearts, losing 31-14 to La Rochelle in their Champions Cup debut just days after the sudden death of lock Hyron Andrews. The 31-year-old died on Friday at the team's hotel on the Ile de Ré.
Before kick-off, the whole stadium stood for a minute's silence while Andrews's No 5 jersey was laid on the pitch. La Rochelle's three South African players then presented the visitors with a shirt in his memory, a gesture that spoke to the bond running through the rugby community.
The Johannesburg-based side were understandably in an impossible position, yet they still put up a gritty fight against one of Europe's powerhouses. The scoreboard went La Rochelle's way, but the Lions' resolve in such circumstances said plenty about the character of this group.
The circumstances of Andrews's death are being looked into by investigators, and the focus for now remains on his family, friends and teammates as they come to terms with the loss.
Elsewhere in the competition, Connacht edged a thriller 45-36 against Saracens, while Glasgow ran out 47-27 winners away at Sale.
