Twickenham Stoop facts for kids
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| Full name | Twickenham Stoop Stadium |
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| Location | Twickenham, London United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°27′1″N 0°20′39″W / 51.45028°N 0.34417°W |
| Public transit |  Whitton Twickenham |
| Owner | Harlequin Estates (Twickenham) Limited |
| Capacity | 14,800 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1963 |
| Opened | 1963 |
| Tenants | |
| Harlequins (Gallagher Premiership) (1963–present) London Broncos (Super League) (1997–1999, 2006–2013) London Scottish (Allied Dunbar Premiership) (1998–1999) London Irish (Allied Dunbar Premiership) (1999–2000), (Gallagher Premiership) (2020) |
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The Twickenham Stoop Stadium, often called The Stoop, is a sports stadium in south-west London, England. It is the home ground for the Harlequins rugby union team. They play in the Gallagher Premiership, which is a top rugby league. The stadium can hold 14,800 people. It is located right across the road from the much larger Twickenham Stadium.
Contents
History of The Stoop
Harlequins' Early Days
In 1906, the Harlequins rugby team was invited to use the new national stadium in Twickenham. This stadium was built by the Rugby Football Union. Back then, only a few international games were played there each season. Soon, the RFU ground became the main home for the Harlequin Football Club.
How The Stoop Got Its Name
In 1963, Harlequins bought a large athletics ground. It was about 14 acres (57,000 m2) in size. This land was just across the road from the RFU stadium. It became the Harlequins' training field. For many years, it was called the Stoop Memorial Ground. This name honored Adrian Stoop, a famous former England player and Harlequins club president.
In 2005, the club officially changed its name to Twickenham Stoop Stadium. However, most people still call it The Stoop. Even the Harlequins' own website often uses this shorter, informal name.
The Stadium Today
The Stoop has several stands, each with its own features. These stands were built over time to make the stadium bigger and better.
The IG Stand
The IG Stand is also known as the West Stand. It was built for the 2005–06 season. This is the main stand at The Stoop. It can hold about 4,000 fans.
This stand has the changing rooms for players. It also has special boxes for guests and the club's offices. You can find toilets and a club shop here too. A scoreboard and TV camera area are located at the top of the stand.
The DHL Stand
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The DHL Stand is also called the East Stand. It can hold around 4,000 people. This stand also has special corporate boxes at the top. It was the first stand to be rebuilt in 1997.
A scoreboard hangs under the roof of this stand. It has toilets and the main public bar. There's also a "Mighty Quins Village" for children. This area has fun things like a bouncy castle and face painting. After matches, a live band often plays at the main public bar.
The South Stand
The South Stand opened for the 2009–10 season. It has new toilets and a special bar called the Quins Head. This bar sells local beers. There is also a club shop in this stand. A large clock for the match is on the back of the stand.
The North Stand
The North Stand is a temporary structure. It was built for the 2011–12 season. It can hold about 2,000 people. This is the only stand with supporting pillars. A time clock is on the top left of the stand.
In the corner between the North and IG Stands, there is a special memorial. It honors Nick Duncombe. He was a talented rugby player for Harlequins and England. He sadly passed away in 2003.
Rugby League Games
The Stoop has also hosted rugby league games. The London Broncos rugby league club played here from 1995–96, and again from 1997 to 1999. They returned from 2006 to 2013, when they were known as Harlequins RL.
In 2006, The Stoop held both a rugby union match and a rugby league game on the same day. The rugby union game was played first. Then, in just a few hours, the stadium was changed for the rugby league match. This involved changing field markings and advertising boards.
From 2006 to 2011, The Stoop hosted the yearly Rugby League Varsity Match. This game is played between Oxford University and Cambridge University.
On October 24, 2009, the stadium hosted a big international rugby league game. It was between New Zealand and Australia. The game ended in a 20-all draw. Over 12,000 people watched the game. This was the largest rugby league crowd at The Stoop at that time.
Women's International Rugby
The Stoop has been an important place for women's rugby. It hosted the final match of the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup.
In 2015, The Stoop started hosting a yearly event for the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series. Most matches were played at The Stoop. However, the third-place match and the final were played at the larger Twickenham Stadium.
The Stoop is now a regular venue for England Women's rugby games. It hosts their Six Nations games and Autumn International Series matches. On January 17, 2016, The Stoop also hosted the Women's Premiership final for the first time.
Concerts at The Stoop
In the summer of 2017, The Stoop started hosting music concerts. The goal was to have more types of events at the stadium. This helped it become known as a music venue, not just a sports one. Famous artists like Elton John and Little Mix have performed there.
See also
In Spanish: Twickenham Stoop para niños
