Former Sale Sharks lock Hyron Andrews has died at the age of 31 following a fall at the Johannesburg Lions’ team hotel in South Africa.

The accident happened ahead of the Lions’ European Champions Cup match against La Rochelle on Saturday.

South African Rugby confirmed the death on Friday and described it as an accident. Lions chief executive Rudolf Straeuli said the club was heartbroken by the loss of a gifted player who had only recently joined the team this season.

Straeuli extended the club’s deepest sympathies to Andrews’ wife Maighlin and their two young sons, Hendrix and Emerson. The Lions plan to honour him by playing the Champions Cup fixture as scheduled, while a moment of silence will be observed at all opening-round matches.

Andrews left Sale Sharks in the summer to return home after making 45 appearances for the English club. Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson remembered him as a talented and popular teammate who was funny, charismatic and a devoted husband and father.

Although he never earned a senior Springbok cap, Andrews represented the Junior Springboks in 2015 and began his career with the Durban Sharks. He had featured in the Lions’ early United Rugby Championship matches this season before the tragic incident.