Edinburgh have contacted the grieving Lions ahead of Friday's URC clash, with the Scottish club confirming the fixture will go ahead after the EPCR were accused of mismanaging the situation last week.
Lions players were visibly upset in the build-up to their Investec Champions Cup game against Stade Rochelais, less than 24 hours after team-mate Hyron Andrews died suddenly at the age of 31.
England stars question decision to play
The decision to fulfil that European fixture has prompted debate, with former England internationals Chris Ashton and Danny Care questioning whether the players should have been expected to take to the field so soon after the tragedy.
Speaking on BBC Rugby Union Weekly, Ashton said he could not understand how the Lions players could be expected to play the Champions Cup match safely in such circumstances.
"Am I alright to say that I don't think any rugby should have been played," Ashton said. "I just can't see how those lads can play a rugby game, safely. I just can't. I don't think it's possible."
Care agreed with his former England team-mate, admitting he had been shocked that the fixture against La Rochelle had gone ahead. "I'm with you, Ashy, I was shocked to see that the game was still going on," the former England scrum-half said.
Ashton criticises EPCR handling
Ashton acknowledged that the Lions had chosen to play in honour of Andrews, but argued the responsibility should not have fallen on the players to make that decision themselves and accused the EPCR of not managing the situation correctly.
"I'm sure we've all experienced death and the impact it has on you when you're so close to something," he said. "There's no way you can play rugby the next day. There's just not. How is that not being cancelled?"
He added: "That's great for them, but they shouldn't have had to make that choice, should they? It shouldn't rest with them whether they should play or not. 'Yeah, I want to honour Hyron.' They're not going to say 'No', are they? It's got to go above them. It's got to be the people at the top. It's got to be, 'A lad has died, in the hotel, this game is not going on. We are all going home and we are going to see our families.'"
Edinburgh offer support
Andrews was found unresponsive at the Lions' team hotel on the Île de Ré on Friday morning. South African Rugby Union officials confirmed his death following a fall at the hotel, with an investigation into the circumstances opened.
The former Sale Sharks and Hollywoodbets Sharks second-row had recently joined the Lions and leaves behind his wife, Maiglin, and their two young sons.
The Johannesburg outfit opted to play La Rochelle on Saturday, with both teams paying tribute to Andrews before kick-off. His No. 5 jersey was laid on the pitch as players observed a minute's silence, while several Lions players were visibly emotional.
The home supporters also applauded the visiting team, with further tributes during the match and a standing ovation for the Lions at full-time. La Rochelle's players formed a guard of honour as the South African side left the field. The Lions ultimately suffered a 31-14 defeat, but the result was secondary to the circumstances surrounding the game.
Edinburgh attack coach Tim Sampson said head coach Sean Everitt had contacted people within the Johannesburg-based club to offer support during an extraordinarily difficult week for the South African side.
"Sean Everitt knows people in the Lions set-up, and he has reached out to them on the club's behalf," Sampson said. "Also on behalf of the club, can I send our thoughts to everybody at the Lions and especially to Hyron's family. It is a sad moment for the game, but our URC game against them will go ahead on Friday as expected."
Sampson said the response to Andrews' death had underlined the strength of the rugby community, with clubs and supporters coming together to pay their respects.
"Rugby is a beautiful game, isn't it?" he said. "To see the response from the Lions was touching. I saw the Lions coach pre-game, interviewed, and he said at the end of the day, it's just a game. Win or lose to La Rochelle, it didn't really matter to them."
He also pointed to the tributes paid to former Australia international Nathan Charles, who is fighting motor neurone disease, during the Wallabies' meeting with New Zealand, as well as the continued remembrance of former Munster coach Anthony Foley.
"The tributes are beautiful. It's the beauty of the game," Sampson added. "To both teams' credit, there on Saturday, La Rochelle and the Lions, the way they handled things, it was a nice, touching moment in a really difficult situation."
