Hyron Andrews died of an aortic dissection, autopsy finds

Lions lock Hyron Andrews died of an aortic dissection, a tear in the body's main artery, according to the autopsy carried out by French authorities. The Lions Rugby Company released the finding on Wednesday on behalf of his family.

Andrews, 31, was found unresponsive at the team's hotel on Île de Ré on Friday, 16 October, the day before the Lions played La Rochelle in the Investec Champions Cup. The cause of his death had not been confirmed until now. SA Rugby initially said he died after a fall, French media reported a suspected cardiac arrest, and the La Rochelle prosecutor opened an investigation and ordered an autopsy.

What the autopsy found

The club's statement said the death "was found to be caused by an aortic dissection" that "most likely occurred on an aortic aneurysm", a weakened, bulging section of the artery wall. The French authorities described it as "a tear in the aorta (due to natural causes), which led to a significant accumulation of blood within the sac surrounding the heart".

In an aortic dissection, the inner layer of the aorta tears and blood forces its way between the layers of the vessel wall, EWN explained in its report.

Bringing him home

The process of returning Andrews' body to South Africa has started, but the Lions say there is no timeline yet. EWN reported that the administrative and legal procedures involved in moving a body between countries are the reason. The club said memorial arrangements, any public services and the repatriation timeline will be shared only when appropriate and under the family's direct guidance.

The family has asked for "respect, privacy and patience during this difficult time".

A jersey left unworn

The Lions played La Rochelle as planned, in Andrews' honour, and lost 31-14. His number five jersey was laid on the pitch during the minute's silence and nobody wore it in the match. The club has since retired the number for the rest of this season's Champions Cup campaign, The Citizen reported.

Andrews was born in Paarl and played for the Junior Springboks in 2015. He came through at the Sharks and made 45 appearances for Sale Sharks in England before joining the Lions for this campaign. He is survived by his wife and their two young sons.