Twickenham Stadium, located in the Twickenham district of London, is currently the largest sporting venue in the United Kingdom with a capacity of 75,000. It is the home of England's Rugby Football Union, and as such primarily a venue for Rugby Union.

The land for the ground was purchased in 1907 for £5,5072 12s and 6d, and the first stands constructed the next year. Before the ground was bought it was actually used to grow cabbages and so Twickenham Stadium is affectionately known as the 'Cabbage Patch'. It is also known jokingly as 'HQ'. After further expenditure on roads, the first game, Harlequins v. Richmond, was played on October 2, 1909 and the first international, Wales v. England, on January 15 1910. In 1932 a new West Stand was completed, providing offices for the RFU, who made the ground their home.

Other dates of note

• 1926 : the first Middlesex Sevens
• 1927 : Extension to the East Stand. First Varsity Match played.
• 1959 : To mark 50 years of the ground, a combined side of England and Wales beat Ireland and Scotland by 26 points to 17.
• 1965 : The South Terrace is closed due to structural failings. It would be rebuilt as the South Stand in 1981
• 1991 : The ground hosts the Rugby Union World Cup Final, in each Australia narrowly beat England. An extended North Stand is opened and the East Stand torn down.
• 1994 : Completion of the new East Stand; the West Stand is torn down.
• 1995 : New West Stand opened, bringing capacity to 75,000
• 2002 : Planning permission sought for new South Stand to raise capacity to 82,000

External links

RFU Twickenham site (http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.Twickenham)

fr:Twickenham (stade)