Paris (France) (AFP) - 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.

“Yesterday was very, very tragic. And our sincere condolences go out to Hyron’s family, his wife and his two boys,” said La Rochelle’s South African lock Salmaan Moerat.

“We cannot begin to imagine just how difficult it must be for them,” added Moerat, who alongside compatriots Dillyn Leyds and David Kriel, and head coach Ronan O’Gara had visited the Lions team at their hotel on Friday.

“It was a very difficult occasion and I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for the Lions, and they showed so much courage to come out and play.”

O’Gara, who was a coach at Racing when Foley died, said he had “never imagined we would play a match after yesterday’s news”.

“There are more important things than rugby,” he added. “Our thoughts should be about Hyron’s family and it’s another example of the fragility of life.”

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.”

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.

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.

Glasgow fought back from an early deficit to beat Andrews’s former club Sale 47-27.