The key facts

  • Hiron Andrews, 31-year-old Lions forward, found dead in a hotel on the eve of the match against La Rochelle
  • Bordeaux-Bègles — Gloucester 36-36, ten tries, a brace from Louis Bielle-Biarrey
  • The tragedy coincided with the 10th anniversary of the death of Munster coach Anthony Foley

A minute's silence and a tragic coincidence of dates

European club rugby tournaments began the season in a mournful tone: before the matches, a minute's silence was announced for Hiron Andrews, a second-row for the Johannesburg-based Lions. The 31-year-old player was found in his hotel room in cardiac arrest and died on the eve of his team's match against La Rochelle, local authorities told the AFP agency. The tragedy occurred exactly ten years after the sudden death of former Munster coach Anthony Foley, who died in his sleep at the age of 42 from a heart rhythm disorder a few hours before his team's match against Racing 92 in Paris in the same tournament. Foley was already set to be honoured before Munster's match against Racing 92 on Saturday.

The road to Gloucester with an airport delay

The journey to Gloucester proved difficult for defending Champions Cup holders Bordeaux-Bègles: star winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey, three more players and a coach were briefly detained at Bristol airport due to electronic travel authorisations (ETA) that had not been renewed in time.

A match with ten tries

In Friday's tournament opener, Bordeaux-Bègles failed to hold onto their lead and drew 36-36 with Gloucester in a frenetic encounter. As early as the fourth minute, Martin Page-Relo scored a try unopposed, but Gloucester responded through the efforts of Arthur Clark and Max Llewellyn, and Sipili Falatea levelled the score on the 20th minute. Visitors' fly-half Maxim Lucu put the team ahead with a penalty and converted four tries. George Barton scored on the 35th minute and added a penalty with the last kick of the half, putting the hosts seven points ahead; Barton also converted four tries.

Second half and a frantic finish

After the break, the visitors seized the initiative again: on the 47th minute Pablo Uberti powered through the defence, and on the 50th Bielle-Biarrey outran the defenders — he ultimately scored a brace. Gloucester answered with two tries from Will Trenholm in three minutes: the first followed an interception, the second was set up by Seb Atkinson, who chipped himself over the defence and caught his own chip. Two minutes later, Bielle-Biarrey broke away again and levelled the score. In a crazy finish, Gloucester turned down a kickable penalty in favour of a lineout, but Bordeaux-Bègles stole the ball. The match ended when the visitors lost the ball at the hosts' line.

Reaction

“A lot of frustration,” said the visitors' fly-half Maxim Lucu after the match. “But also a lot of enjoyment from this game tonight.”