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“We’ve always played Twickenham like the Rugby Temple. It’s really a different place, Bernard LaPorte told LCI a few years ago. President of the FFR, but also vice-president of the 6-nation tournament and vice-president of World Rugby, the stadium. Explained to “Love”, which trampled the lawn several times as head of the Blues between 1999 and 2007. To the cheers of the English supporters, but to the public’s respect and silence during the goal scorer’s kick, Twickenham has become a major stadium for European rugby.

More recently, EPCR director Vincent Gaylard called it a “mythical stadium” and “an opportunity for two French clubs” to compete among our partners in the Southwest. This famous stadium in the suburbs of London was the scene of the previous Champions Cup final between Stade Toulouse and Stade Rochelleis. For the spectators’ return to the stadium, 10,000 fans were able to attend the fifth coronation of Toulouse on the European stage, for the first time. The day before this match, the “Tweakers” saw Montpellier win against Leicester Province of England in the Challenge Cup final. A 100-year-old stadium where matches are rare to maintain their legend.

Little history

Credit Photo – Icon Sport

Nicknamed “Tweakers” for close friends, this stadium is older than the beginning of the last century. A time that people under 100 cannot know. Built in 1900, it was inaugurated in 1909. At that time, the stadium already had 20,000 seats. With many gradual renovations, this Rugby temple has quadrupled in size to accommodate 42,000 spectators today. One of the largest European stadiums and the second largest in the United Kingdom, just behind its neighbor Wembley, is the temple of English football and the national team, located inside London and in its 90,000 seats.

Twickenham Stadium derives its name simply from the city on which it is built. An average city of 50,000 residents, located in the suburbs of London, 20 kilometers by car from the capital and about thirty minutes away. Based on an old plantation, the stadium is home to one of its most famous nicknames: the cabbage garden. A field purchased at the time by the English Federation (RFU) which made it its head office and national team’s home stadium before becoming a worldwide recognized playground.

Records and Twickenham became a global temple

Credit Photo – Icon Sport

In more than 100 years, Twickenham has experienced the greatest feats of the XV de la Rose – apart from winning the World Cup in 2003, which was held in Australia. Thanks to different versions of the World Cup, the “Cabbage Garden” holds many records in the competition. When England received the second edition of the international competition in 1919, it became the first stadium to host a World Cup match (the first edition which was played in Australia and New Zealand in 1919). Twickenham has also become the first stadium in the Northern Hemisphere to host the World Cup final. The locals faced a 6–12 loss against Australia in the final.

Since then “Tweakers” has hosted matches in 1999 (a version hosted by several European countries) including two semi-finals and several matches during the 2015 edition. This time only a World Cup hosted by England and Twickenham Stadium which hosted ten games including five in the final. With 20 matches played in the suburbs of London, this stadium holds the record for the number of matches played in the World Cup in front of the Eden Park Stadium in New Zealand.

The cabbage garden also hosted the finals of nine World Cup finals. 2015 between New Zealand and Australia. The All Blacks won 34–17 against the Wallabies and with 51 points overall, it became the most spectacular World Cup final ever. Dan Carter, who was named Man of the Match in the final, has 19 points in the leg, played in front of more than 80,000 spectators. New Zealand then became the world champion for the third time in history (the only team at the time, now equaled by South Africa) and the first country to retain its world crown. Twickenham Stadium also includes eight of the twenty biggest appearances at the World Cup in all editions, making it the most represented stadium in this ranking. From a small cabbage garden in the suburbs of London, “Tweakers” has grown over decades and English songs are a real field of expression for players in World Rugby.