Hurdle and Simmons to be honoured in memorial match

The annual Denton Hurdle Memorial rugby match honouring the former Teachers RFC and Bermuda national player will take place on Sunday at the National Sports Centre’s north field.

Hurdle, one of the best backs the Island ever produced, died suddenly in 1985 and this will be the 29th annual memorial game. 

His brother, Derek Hurdle, was a former captain of Bermuda and Teachers as was his nephew, Bobby.  

This year’s memorial will be particularly poignant, as Teachers lost another of their leading stars, Devrae Noel-Simmons, suddenly in January. 

Devrae embodied the same values and spirit for the game that Denton upheld and both will be remembered on Sunday.

A Teachers RFC spokesperson said: “There will be a series of games on Sunday at the National Sports Centre starting at 12:45pm with the Teachers taking on Bermuda Select teams. 

“Up first will be the Ladies Second team match,  then a Teachers’ men’s Second XV, including some of Denton’s team mates from the 1980s, will take on the Rest.

 “That will be followed by the Ladies First team match and the main match, Teachers First XV against Bermuda Select kicking off at 3.30. The club welcomes all to come down and watch the games.”

Although Hurdle was an imposing figure on the field, he was definitely the gentle giant off the park and loved by all.

In his early years, he played schoolboy rugby at Warwick Academy where he also participated and starred in the Whitney Sevens. He then joined Teachers RFC where he played Under-21 rugby, Second XV rugby and Second XV / First XV Friday night rugby at BAA. 

He made his break into the First XV in 1974 against The Penguins RFC, a touring team from the UK.

He went on to become a Physical Education teacher at Warwick Academy. 

Although he achieved the honour of captaining both his club and his country, if you asked him, the highlight of his playing days was undoubtedly being chosen as the Outstanding Player of the 1984 Easter Classic (this was the predecessor to the World Rugby Classic) by the UK international players who had come here to play in that game. He talked about that game often. 

Hurdle played his last game for Teachers on February 10, 1985, his 28th birthday. 

On May 8 of that same year, he passed away due to complications from an operation to correct a damaged valve in his heart. 

Before flying to Halifax for his operation, Hurdle had seen Teachers off on their tour to Wales and France, recognizing that he would probably not play rugby again.

Nevertheless, he was looking forward to passing on his knowledge and experience to others through coaching. His death came as a huge shock to his family, friends and rugby mates. 

In his memory, every year on the nearest Sunday to his birthday, Teachers play the pick of the other rugby clubs on the Island for the Denton Hurdle Memorial Trophy.

As part of their commemoration, the club starts the day by attending the early morning church service at Bright Temple AME Church in Warwick. 

This is just how Hurdle would spend his Sunday mornings prior to playing rugby in the afternoon. 

The club then gathers for breakfast, before heading to the National Sports centre on Roberts Avenue, Pembroke to pay homage to Denton and Devrae on the field. 

For more information about Sunday’s matches, call 536 4512.