Emotional Lions come up short in Champions Cup as tributes paid to Andrews / Photo: ROMAIN PERROCHEAU - AFP
Emotional Lions come up short in Champions Cup as tributes paid to Andrews
Lions put up a gritty fight on an emotional Champions Cup debut on Saturday but came up short 31-14 at La Rochelle as both sides paid tribute to South African lock Hyron Andrews, who died suddenly at the team's hotel in western France.
The whole stadium observed a minute's silence while Andrews's No.5 shirt was laid on the pitch before kick-off.
La Rochelle's three South African players presented a jersey to their visitors in memory of the player, who died on Friday at Lions' hotel on the nearby Ile de Re.
A source close to the investigation said that Andrews, who was 31, was found in cardiac arrest in a shower cubicle that was locked from the inside.
Andrews's death came exactly 10 years after Munster coach Anthony Foley died in his hotel room ahead of their match at Racing 92.
Those two teams had already planned a commemoration when they play in Cork later on Saturday.
Wingers Tevita Ofa and Davit Niniashvili were on the scoresheet in the first half for hosts La Rochelle, who led 19-14 as Lions replied through Henco van Wyk and Morne Brandon.
Second-half scores from Australia hooker Silatolu Latu and Fijian winger Avakuki Niusalelekitoga earned La Rochelle a bonus point.
- 'Thick and fast' -
Ireland fly-half Sam Prendergast starred as four-time winners Leinster opened their Champions Cup account with a bonus-point 48-23 win at Clermont.
Prendergast scored one of the Irish province's seven tries, adding four conversions and a penalty for a personal haul of 16 points.
Captain Dan Sheehan scored twice and fellow forwards Tadhg Furlong and Jack Conan also crossed the whitewash while a powerful Leinster scrum earned the visitors a penalty try.
Wing Tommy O'Brien added the final try late on.
Wing Joris Jurand and replacement centre Mathys Belaubre crossed for Clermont, while New Zealander fly-half Harry Plummer kicked the rest of their points.
"Lots of really good stuff in the game," Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said.
"Games come thick and fast so we've got to move on."
- Heat, altitude, errors -
Prendergast's brother Cian scored two tries as Connacht stunned Saracens 45-36 in a 13-try thriller.
Ciaran Frawley also scored a brace for Connacht, while Tongan Sione Va'enuku did so for Sarries, whose back five were all on the scoresheet.
South Africans Blue Bulls and Stormers started well with home wins over Stade Francais and Bristol, respectively.
Stade Francais, who have not won away in the competition since 2015, succumbed to the heat, the altitude and a string of defensive errors in South Africa as they crumbled 56-20 against the Bulls, who outscored their visitors by eight tries to two to earn a bonus point.
Stormers made light of hooker JJ Kotze's first half red card to thrash an understrength Bristol 49-12.
Wing Leolin Zas and centre Jonathan Roche each scored twice while Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu landed all seven conversions.
Joe Owen and Sol Moody responded with Bristol's tries.
Glasgow fought back from an early deficit to beat Andrews's former club Sale 47-27.
Sale raced into a 12-point lead after only nine minutes, but ill-discipline proved costly as they were reduced to 13 men at one point.
The Scots led by six points at the break and stretched away in the second half, finishing with six tries to Sale's three.
On Friday, Bordeaux-Begles, winners of the past two editions of the Champions Cup, began their title defence with a thrilling 36-36 draw away to Gloucester.
S.Carlevaro--IM
