Springbok captain Siya Kolisi pays tribute to Hyron Andrews: ‘An amazing human being’

Kolisi and Andrews played together at the Sharks, while they would also have been opponents at times, as well. Springbok captain Siya Kolisi paid tribute to his friend and former teammate Hyron Andrews, who will be laid to rest in a private funeral service in Paarl on Saturday. The 31-year-old Lions lock Andrews suffered an aortic dissection and passed away at the team hotel in France last month, the day before his team’s first ever Champions Cup match against La Rochelle. It was a shocking moment for everyone involved, with the Lions then choosing to play in his honour, before continuing a very difficult tour, while his former teams, the Sharks, where he started his career and spent a decade, and Sale Sharks in England, where he spent two seasons, also grieved his passing. With Andrews’ private service taking place on Saturday, followed by a celebration of his life at the Sharks home ground, Kings Park, in Durban next week Wednesday, Kolisi was asked about him at the Springbok pre-match press conference in Turin on Friday. The world champions take on Italy in a Nations Championship game on Saturday. It’s difficult “It’s a difficult one with Hyron. I don’t think it has sunk in for a lot of us, because it feels like we were just with Hyron the other day. I played with him and I know how tough it has been for the guys who were close to him,” said Kolisi. “Also for his wife and family. We saw each other every single game; she supported him throughout everything, she travelled with him all over the world supporting him. And now with two kids as well and his family back at home. “It’s tough for us (friends and teammates), so I can’t imagine what it’s like for her and his family. So we are just thinking and praying for them. I really have no words, I don’t even know what to say about it.” Kolisi continued: “Hyron was an amazing human being. I don’t think anyone has anything bad to say about him. He just brought energy and was such a team player, even when he didn’t play he didn’t care, he was always there for the guys. “He had the same energy all the time and was willing to go to places to get the opportunity to play, he was a proper team man and he was a good person off the field too. So we are thinking of his family during this time.”