A member of the South African Lions rugby team was discovered dead at the Atalante-Relais Thalasso hotel on the Île de Ré, France, prior to the team's scheduled Champions Cup match against La Rochelle. The player, whose identity has not yet been released, was reportedly found unconscious in a shower.

According to initial reports, the player is believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest. Despite the intervention of emergency services, the individual could not be revived. The Lions organization has confirmed that the team’s players and staff have been notified of the tragedy and are currently receiving support. The team had traveled to Europe to make their debut in the top-tier tournament this weekend. At this time, there has been no official statement regarding whether the match against La Rochelle will proceed as planned, though the focus remains on the welfare of the team following the sudden loss.