Lions Coach Opens Up on Hyron Andrews’ Death Ahead of Glasgow Warriors Clash

• Lions assistant coach Wessel Roux says players are dealing with Hyron Andrews’ death in different ways
• The Johannesburg side is looking to rebuild its confidence after consecutive defeats on tour
• The Lions face Glasgow Warriors in their final match of a difficult European tour

The Lions are still struggling with the emotional impact of Hyron Andrews’ death as they prepare for their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash against Glasgow Warriors on Friday, 30 October 2026.

The Johannesburg-based side lost 31-14 to La Rochelle in the Investec Champions Cup before suffering a 31-10 defeat against Edinburgh in the URC.

However, results have not been the only challenge facing the Lions during their European tour. The team is also dealing with the sudden death of Andrews, who died in France on 16 October.

The 31-year-old lock's death was attributed to an aortic dissection, according to an announcement by the Lions on behalf of his family.

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Assistant coach Wessel Roux has acknowledged the difficulty of preparing for matches while the squad continues to process the loss of their teammate.

Wessel Roux opens up on the Lions’ emotional struggle

Speaking ahead of the Glasgow encounter, Roux admitted that the players were responding to the tragedy in different ways.

“I think everybody is reacting towards the tragedy and what happened at La Rochelle in their own different way,” he said, as reported by TimesLIVE.

Roux explained that the circumstances surrounding the team's tour had made it difficult to recover and focus on rugby as usual.

The coach also reflected on the challenge of expecting the squad to move forward so soon after losing a teammate.

“But I mean, it’s madness to think it’s something that happened to us about 10 days ago and just kind of forgetting about it; that’s impossible,” Roux said.

Lions look to rebuild confidence against Glasgow Warriors

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Despite the difficult circumstances, Roux said the team's training and preparations had been good ahead of Friday's fixture. The assistant coach believes the Lions must concentrate on producing their best rugby while trying to regain their confidence.

“Glasgow is a really quality side, so it’s a really difficult team, like most teams in Europe,” he said.

Roux added that the team was focused on performing to the best of its ability despite the challenges it had faced.

The Glasgow match represents another demanding test for the Lions, who have struggled for results during their European campaign. The team will hope to finish the tour with a stronger performance before returning to South Africa.

Lions coach explains decision to play after Hyron’s death

Briefly News previously reported that the Lions went ahead with their Investec Champions Cup match against La Rochelle in France shortly after confirming the death of teammate Hyron Andrews

Coach Ivan van Rooyen addressed the media before kickoff, explaining the team's decision to play in honour of the 31-year-old

Source: Briefly News