Harlequins
If Twickenham is the cathedral of English rugby, then the Twickenham Stoop is its much smaller, considerably more mischievous little brother. Sitting almost literally across the road from the national stadium, the Stoop has been home to Harlequins since 1963 and holds around 14,800 spectators.
And size really isn't everything. In fact, the Stoop is a good example of why I generally prefer proper club grounds to huge modern stadiums. It feels like a rugby ground, rather than an entertainment complex that happens to have a rugby pitch in the middle of it.The four stands are close to the pitch and, when the place is full, you get that enclosed, noisy atmosphere which can be missing from some of the larger grounds. Harlequins supporters are generally a lively lot and the Quins songs and chants are very much part of the experience. The atmosphere can be particularly good for the bigger games, when the ground is packed and everyone seems to have found their voice.
The club itself dates back to 1866, originally as Hampstead Football Club, and became Harlequins four years later. It was also one of the founding members of the Rugby Football Union in 1871, so this isn't some Johnny-come-lately rugby club.
The Stoop is named after Adrian Stoop, a long-serving Harlequins player and president, and the ground has been developed considerably since the club moved there. There have been various ideas for making it larger over the years, but I'm rather glad it hasn't turned into another giant bowl. Around 15,000 is actually a pretty good size for a club rugby ground.One of the best things about the Stoop is its location. You get off at Twickenham station, walk through the town and eventually arrive at a rugby ground with the real Twickenham looming just behind it. It's difficult to think of many places where two rugby grounds of such different scales sit so close together.
Harlequins also occasionally cross the road and play selected matches at the big stadium, including their traditional Big Game, when the little Stoop is replaced by its gigantic neighbour.
But if I had a choice, I'd take a normal Quins match at the Stoop. You lose the sheer scale of Twickenham but gain something arguably more important — the feeling that you're actually at the home of a rugby club.
The Stoop may be Baby Twickenham, but there's nothing babyish about the atmosphere when 14,000 Quins supporters get going.
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