- The Stoop
Infobox Stadium
stadium_name = The Stoop
nickname =
fullname = Twickenham Stoop Stadium
built = 1963
opened = 1963
seating_capacity = 12,700
tenants = Harlequins andHarlequins Rugby League
dimensions =
Refimprove|date=September 2007The Stoop in the western suburbs of
London ,England , officially the Twickenham Stoop Stadium, is the home stadium of both Harlequins rugby union team andHarlequins Rugby League who play in theGuinness Premiership and Super League respectively. The stadium has a capacity of 12,700.History
In 1906, Harlequins were invited by the
Rugby Football Union to use the new national stadium in Twickenham. In those early days, only one or two internationals were played there during the season, and it wasn't long before the RFU ground became the headquarters of the Harlequin Football Club.In 1963, the Quins acquired an athletics ground with 14 acres (57,000 m²) just over the road from the RFU ground, which became the Harlequin training pitch. The ground was named Stoop Memorial Ground after
Adrian Stoop , a former England international and longtime Harlequins player and president but is generally known as "The Stoop" with even the Harlequins' official website frequently using the informal name.The ground's official name changed in July 2005 to Twickenham Stoop Stadium.
The redeveloped
Lexus Stand on the western side of the ground opened in September 2005.In 2006, the
rugby league club formerly known as London Broncos joined Harlequins at The Stoop, becomingHarlequins Rugby League . On a particular day in 2006 the stadium held a Harlequins rugby union match and a Harlequins rugby league game on the same day. The rugby union match was played first, and in just a few hours the stadium was switched over for the Super League match. This involved changing field markings, advertising hoardings and such.For the beginning of the 2007-2008 season there will be a new temporary stand in place until Richmond council agree to a permanent one. The difference with the old temporary stand is the new one will have a roof. Mark Evans (Chief Executive) confirmed at the pre season conference there will be no increase or reduction in the number of seats. He announced that the stand served purely to improve comfort for supporters with a small increase in ticket prices in this stand from £15-£17. The club may not break even on the stand by the time the season ends.
External links
* [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=TW2+7SX&ie=UTF8&z=17&ll=51.450858,-0.343205&spn=0.002922,0.010815&t=h&om=1&iwloc=A Twickenham Stoop Stadium] at Google Maps.
* [http://www.worldstadia.com/stadium/england/the_twickenham_stoop/49.php The Stoop on Worldstadia.com]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
