Oct 21 (Reuters) - Lions lock Hyron Andrews' death was caused by an aortic dissection, a tear in the body's main artery, the South African rugby team said on Wednesday.
Andrews died at the team hotel last Friday, a day before the Lions played French side La Rochelle in the European Champions Cup, a game that went ahead in honour of the 31-year-old.
French media reported that Andrews was found unconscious in a shower cubicle at a hotel on the Ile de Re in France, where the team had been staying.
"Lions Rugby Company, on behalf of the Andrews family, confirms that, following an autopsy report, Hyron's death was found to be caused by an aortic dissection," the Lions said in a statement.
"This dissection most likely occurred on an aortic aneurysm."
An aortic aneurysm is a balloon-like bulge in the aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and torso, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website.
"The French authorities, who conducted the autopsy and in whose care Hyron's body currently remains, described the cause of death as 'a tear in the aorta (due to natural causes), which led to a significant accumulation of blood within the sac surrounding the heart'," the Lions said.
"The Andrews family asks for respect, privacy and patience during this difficult time as the repatriation process begins."
Andrews played for South Africa's under-20 side and also had a spell with English club Sale Sharks.
"A timeline for the return of Hyron's body to South Africa has not yet been determined," the Lions added. "Further information will be communicated when it becomes available and under the guidance of the family."
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru;)
