The land for the ground was purchased in 1907 for £5,572 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, England v. Wales, 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 which 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
Twickenham
Rugby Road
Twickenham
Middlesex
England
TW1 1DZ
Capacity: 75,000
View Stadium Plan and Directions
The first international match at Twickenham was held on January 15, 1910, when England beat Wales 11-6.
The site, which had been a 10-acre patch of ground where cabbages and other vegetables were growing, along with fruit trees and mushrooms, had been picked out in 1907 by RFU committee member Billy Williams, with the initial purchase price being £5,572 12s 6d.
Twickenham has changed almost beyond recognition in recent years, having undergone a total rebuilding programme.
It was extensively upgraded for the 1991 World Cup, and it is now a state-of-the-art 75,000-capacity stadium.
More development to increase the capacity to 82,000 is currently going through the planning stages and is expected to be completed in 2005/6.