122-564: Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester , England . Its team play in Premiership Rugby , and have been in England's top division of rugby union continuously since 1995. Originally founded in 1861 as Sale Football Club (which is now a distinct amateur club ), it is one of the oldest existing football clubs . It adopted the nickname Sharks in 1999. Since 2012 Sale have played their home games at
244-570: A British Isles team visited Australia and New Zealand—although a private venture, it laid the foundations for future British and Irish Lions tours; and the 1888–89 New Zealand Native football team brought the first overseas team to British spectators. During the early history of rugby union, a time before commercial air travel, teams from different continents rarely met. The first two notable tours both took place in 1888—the British Isles team touring New Zealand and Australia, followed by
366-497: A haka before each match, leading Welsh Rugby Union administrator Tom Williams to suggest that Wales player Teddy Morgan lead the crowd in singing the Welsh National Anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau , as a response. After Morgan began singing, the crowd joined in: the first time a national anthem was sung at the start of a sporting event. In 1905 France played England in its first international match. Rugby union
488-562: A full supporting bill which included Avenged Sevenfold , Within Temptation and Lauren Harris. Lady Gaga performed two sold-out shows at the stadium during her Born This Way Ball Tour on the 8 and 9 September 2012 with 101,250 people attending for both shows. The first date broke a record for The Fastest Selling-out Stadium Show in UK history when the 50,625 tickets for the first show sold out in 50 seconds. Rihanna performed two shows at
610-420: A full-time role. Robinson, who originally had no intentions to coach but responded to the club's request for help, left the club. Former All Black forward Mike Brewer replaced Robinson as head coach, while Jones remained as Director of Rugby. In December 2010, after only eight months in the role, Brewer was sacked as head coach. Academy coach Pete Anglesea took over as first team coach on a temporary basis until
732-594: A limited number of games, and Cambridge and Oxford continued their annual University Match . The first officially sanctioned international rugby sevens tournament took place in 1973 at Murrayfield, one of Scotland's biggest stadiums, as part of the Scottish Rugby Union centenary celebrations. In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was held in Australia and New Zealand, and the inaugural winners were New Zealand. The first World Cup Sevens tournament
854-415: A lineout throw is generally awarded to the opposition at the spot on the sideline where they left the field. Exceptions include a kick out "on the full" (i.e. the ball did not land in the field-of-play before going into touch) in which case the lineout would still take place on the sideline but back in line with where the ball was kicked, or when a team takes a free kick from a penalty where they would retain
976-544: A number of scheduled events at Wembley were moved to Twickenham. The Challenge Cup and the Rolling Stones ' A Bigger Bang Tour concerts were taken to Twickenham. The Stones also played two shows at Twickenham in August and September 2003, the first of which was used as their stadium concert disc for the 2003 DVD Four Flicks . During 2007 Genesis played at Twickenham during their reunion tour . The Police played at
1098-534: A preferred or standard 68 metre width, this is often used unless a ground has been specifically designed to accommodate a 70-metre rugby field. 100 metres is the typical length, with a line (see below) often marked at halfway with "50" on it, representing 50 metres from each goal line. The variations have been allowed in the Laws, possibly to accommodate older grounds (perhaps even pre-metrification when yards and feet were specified) and developing nations. The field of play
1220-467: A professional rugby club. Sale took 20,000 fans to Twickenham for the 1997 Pilkington Cup Final but Leicester won a mistake-ridden match 9–3. This interest quickly faded and the anticipated increased crowds never materialised and relegation from the Premier Division loomed until rugby union-playing local businessman Brian Kennedy came to the rescue late in the 1999–2000 season. Since then,
1342-609: A rectangular field called a pitch. The field has H-shaped goalposts at both ends. Rugby union is a popular sport around the world, played by people regardless of gender, age or size. In 2023, there were more than 10 million people playing worldwide, of whom 8.4 million were registered players. World Rugby , previously called the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB) and the International Rugby Board (IRB), has been
SECTION 10
#17327730027361464-529: A rolling programme of special exhibitions which cover topical issues and offer an opportunity to display some of the obscurer items in the collection. Some unique displays include an English rugby union jersey from the first ever rugby union international in 1871 between England and Scotland, and (until 2005) the William Webb Ellis Cup which was obtained by England at the 2003 Rugby World Cup . Twickenham Stadium Tours are also available through
1586-658: A run of 19 unbeaten home matches from October 1999, ending with defeat against Ireland in 2004. The IRB Rugby Aid Match was played on 5 March 2005 under the auspices of the International Rugby Board (IRB) to raise money for the United Nations World Food Programme to support its work helping victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami . The match was between representative sides of the Northern and Southern hemispheres, with
1708-572: A sponsorship agreement with the Allianz Company. Since the ground's purchase by the RFU in 1907, it has gone through a number of redevelopments. In 1921, a stand was built above the northern terrace, with workshops placed underneath. In 1927, the East Stand was extended, bringing the capacity to 12,000. The south terrace was later extended to enable crowds of 20,000. In 1932, a new West Stand
1830-470: A successful penalty kick or a drop goal each score 3 points. The values of each of these scoring methods have been changed over the years. According to World Rugby's Laws of the Game, a typical rugby ground, formally known as the "playing enclosure", is formed by two major zones: The referee (and their assistants) generally have full authority and responsibility for all players and other officials inside
1952-538: Is Chatswood Oval in Sydney, Australia, an elliptically shaped cricket ground which is the home of Gordon rugby club, that has curved dead-ball lines to maximise the available in-goal space. Where multiple sports share a field (e.g. a rugby league and a rugby union club sharing one field), lines may be overlaid on top of each other, sometimes in different colours. However, particularly for television, rugby union line markings are generally painted white. Some exceptions include
2074-408: Is considered "out-of-bounds" for the ball and the players, normally resulting in the non-infringing team receiving possession of the ball at a restart. The perimeter area can be divided into two areas: For the purposes of determining if a ball is "out-of-bounds" (i.e. has left the playing area), the perimeter area extends indefinitely away from the playing area. When a ball or player goes into touch,
2196-445: Is divided by a solid "halfway" line, drawn perpendicular to the sidelines at their midpoint. A 0.5m line is marked perpendicular to the halfway lines at its midpoint, designating the spot where the kickoffs shall be taken. The areas between each goal line and the halfway line are known as "halves" as in other football codes. A pair of solid lines are also drawn perpendicular to the sidelines, 22 metres (formerly 25 yards) from each end of
2318-590: Is the home of the English rugby union team, who play nearly all their home games at the stadium. Twickenham hosts England's home Six Nations matches, as well as games against touring teams from the Southern Hemisphere, usually annually in November. Apart from its relationship with the national team, Twickenham is the venue for a number of other domestic and international rugby union matches. It hosts
2440-440: Is the third and final row of the forward positions, who are often referred to as the loose forwards. The three positions in the back row are the two flankers and the number 8 . The two flanker positions, known as the blindside flanker and openside flanker, are the final row in the scrum. They are usually the most mobile forwards in the game. Their main role is to win possession through 'turn overs'. The number 8 packs down between
2562-516: The 2024–25 season is: Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality. Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality. The following Sale players have been selected for the Lions tours while at the club: The following are players which have represented their countries at
SECTION 20
#17327730027362684-963: The Bunnings NPC in New Zealand, the League One in Japan and the Currie Cup in South Africa. Other transnational club competitions include the United Rugby Championship of club teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales, European Rugby Champions Cup in Europe, and Super Rugby in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Primitive forms of football included harpastum , played by
2806-460: The Premiership and only securing safety from relegation on the penultimate weekend of the season. Sale's Heineken Cup campaign also ended in disappointment. The highlights of the campaign were a 27–26 win at home to Cardiff and wins home and away against Harlequins . There were changes made in the coaching staff. Keith-Roach stepped down from his duties after deciding he could not commit to
2928-636: The Premiership Rugby Cup in 2019-20 and were losing finalists in its predecessor, the Anglo-Welsh Cup , in 2012-13 . They also won the second division in 1994 to secure promotion to the Premiership. Internationally, the club won the second tier European Rugby Challenge Cup in 2001–02 and 2004–05 . In the 2022–23 Premiership Rugby season, Sale finished second in the regular season and second overall after they lost in
3050-697: The Rugby Football Union (RFU), English rugby union governing body, which has its headquarters there. The stadium is England's national rugby union stadium and is the venue of the England national rugby union team home matches. It is the world's largest rugby union stadium, the second largest stadium in the United Kingdom, behind Wembley Stadium , and the fifth largest in Europe . The Middlesex Sevens , Premiership Rugby fixtures, Anglo-Welsh Cup matches, Harlequins annual Big Game ,
3172-505: The Rugby World Cup whilst playing for Sale Sharks: Rugby union Rugby union football , commonly known simply as rugby union or often just rugby , is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in England in the first half of the 19th century. Rugby is based on running with the ball in hand. In its most common form, a game is played between two teams of 15 players each, using an oval-shaped ball on
3294-572: The Salford City Reds . Bryan Redpath was confirmed as the director of rugby ahead of the 2012–13 season, however after their worst ever start to a season losing their opening seven league games, Redpath was removed as DOR. John Mitchell was briefly in charge for a month Sale had a disappointing 2012–13 season at their new stadium, spending most of the season in the relegation place before finishing 10th overall. Mark Cueto over took former Sale teammate Steve Hanley , as top try scorer in
3416-683: The Salford Community Stadium in Barton-upon-Irwell , Salford . Between 1905 and 2003 they played at Heywood Road in Sale , before moving to Edgeley Park in Stockport where they stayed until 2012. Historically one of the leading teams in the north of England , their traditional colours are blue and white. Domestically, Sale were Premiership champions in 2005–06 and runners up in 2001-02 and 2022-23 . They won
3538-625: The Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge universities and European Rugby Champions Cup games have been played at Twickenham Stadium. It has also been used as the venue for the Rugby Football League 's Challenge Cup Final in 2001 and 2006, and the NFL London Games in 2016 and 2017. Twickenham Stadium has hosted concerts by Rihanna , Iron Maiden , Bryan Adams , Bon Jovi , Genesis , U2 , Beyoncé ,
3660-541: The 12-strong Premiership table in the first two years of the new Millennium. It took the coaching partnership of two former Sale players, Jim Mallinder and Steve Diamond , to produce a team that were 2002 runners-up and qualified for the Heineken Cup . Player signings matched the elevated profile of the club. Scotland skipper Bryan Redpath was joined by Stuart Pinkerton , Barry Stewart , Graeme Bond , Jason White and Andrew Sheridan . The club then turned to
3782-456: The 1830s, "running in" with the ball in hand was allowed but subject to hacking and "collaring". Former Rugby School student Albert Pell is credited with having formed the first "football" team while a student at Cambridge University . Major private schools each used different rules during this early period, with former pupils from Rugby and Eton attempting to carry their preferred rules through to their universities. A significant event in
Sale Sharks - Misplaced Pages Continue
3904-557: The 1910 British tour to South Africa at scrum-half . The club has consistently provided international players and, during the 1930s, had one of its most dominant periods, fielding players of the calibre of Hal Sever (England), Claude Davey and Wilf Wooller (Wales) and Ken Fyfe (Scotland). It came as little surprise when they took out the 1936 Middlesex Sevens. Sale ruled the roost in county cup rugby for 15 straight seasons as they went unbeaten from 1972 to 1987 in every one of those cup fixtures. During this period, Sale competed for
4026-494: The 2021/22 season onwards the kit is supplied by Macron , with the Italian technical sportswear firm producing match day and training kit, leisurewear and accessories for the men's, women's and academy sides for the following six years. Macron also became the club's official retail partner. Gold background denotes champions Silver background denotes runners-up Pink background denotes relegated The Sale Sharks squad for
4148-530: The European Cup in the group stages. Despite earning a win over Clermont, a defeat at home to Munster, a defeat to Montauban and Munster beating The Sharks in Ireland led to an exit. Charlie Hodgson was voted the player of the year at the club's end-of-season awards on Thursday 30 April 2009. Philippe Saint-André stepped down from his position as Director of Rugby at the end of the 2008–09 season. Along with
4270-482: The Five Nations Championship. The Twickenham crowd had only seen one England try in the previous two years, and at half-time the team were 0–3 down against Ireland. During the second half, England started playing an expansive game many had doubted they were capable of producing. A 0–3 deficit was turned into a 35–3 win, with England scoring six tries. This day also saw the origins of the adoption of
4392-513: The Laws: Generally, points where the dashed lines intersect other lines will be marked with a "T" or cross shape, although the extensions of dashed lines are generally not drawn within 5 metres of the goal lines or sidelines, to allow a clear demarcation of the field of play's boundaries. The Laws require the playing area to be rectangular in shape, however variations may be permitted with the approval of relevant unions. A notable example
4514-749: The New Zealand team touring Europe. Traditionally the most prestigious tours were the Southern Hemisphere countries of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa making a tour of a Northern Hemisphere, and the return tours made by a joint British and Irish team. Tours would last for months, due to long traveling times and the number of games undertaken; the 1888 New Zealand team began their tour in Hawkes Bay in June and did not complete their schedule until August 1889, having played 107 rugby matches. Touring international sides would play Test matches against international opponents, including national, club and county sides in
4636-621: The Rolling Stones , the Police , Eagles , R.E.M. , Eminem , Lady Gaga , Metallica , Depeche Mode and NSPPD Prayer Conference. On 5 August 2024, it was announced that Twickenham Stadium would be renamed Allianz Stadium as part of a long-term investment plan by the insurance company Allianz . Twickenham is often referred to as "the Home of Rugby". The stadium, owned and operated by the RFU, hosts rugby union fixtures all year round. It
4758-476: The Romans, where two opposing teams competed to throw a large ball into an opposition net, fighting for possession of the ball. Medieval Irishmen played caid , carrying an inflated bladder and using arched trees as goals. The Welsh played an inter-parish game using a wooden ball called cnapan . Frenchmen played soule and Georgians played lelo. "Football" as a game was well established by 1803 at Rugby School and by
4880-616: The Southern side winning 54–19. In May 2023 during the 2023 Premiership Rugby Final between Sale Sharks and Saracens a group of Just Stop Oil protesters came onto the pitch and started to vandalise the surface. Some of the players helped security staff to remove the protestors, who were later arrested. On 5 August 2024, Twickenham Stadium announced that the Stadium will be renamed to the Allianz Stadium from September, due to
5002-537: The United States , Canada and Eastern Europe , its growth occurring during the expansion of the British Empire and through French proponents ( Rugby Europe ) in Europe. Countries that have adopted rugby union as their de facto national sport include Fiji , Georgia, Madagascar , New Zealand, Samoa , Tonga , and Wales . International matches have taken place since 1871 when the first game
Sale Sharks - Misplaced Pages Continue
5124-480: The Wallabies (Australia's national team) who often have yellow markings. Local clubs may use black, yellow, or other colours on grass, with other surfaces possibly requiring different marking techniques. Unlike association football, where on-field advertising is strictly forbidden in the laws, World Rugby allows sponsors logos to be painted on the playing surface. This is another way in which clubs can make money in
5246-501: The Welsh-hosted 1999 Rugby World Cup games were taken to Twickenham. These included three of England's pool B matches, the second round playoff when England defeated Fiji 45 points to 24, and both semi-finals, none of which England were involved in, having made their exit in the quarter-finals at the hands of South Africa . Under the reign of Clive Woodward , the stadium became known as 'Fortress Twickenham', as England enjoyed
5368-691: The annual London leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series , the Cup (championship) final, the third-place match of the annual London leg of the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series , and the domestic Middlesex Sevens competition. It is also the venue for the Premiership Rugby final as well as Harlequins ' Big Game at Christmas time and an additional annual fixture hosted by Harlequins in late spring. Anglo-Welsh Cup , Heineken Cup and Champions Cup finals have been held here, and
5490-431: The backs and the forwards is that the backs are expected to have superior kicking and ball-handling skills, especially the fly-half, scrum-half, and full-back. The half-backs consist of two positions, the scrum-half and the fly-half , also known in the Southern Hemisphere as half-back and first five-eighth respectively. The fly-half is crucial to a team's game plan, orchestrating the team's performance. They are usually
5612-422: The ball is kicked into touch by a player who had at least one foot on or behind their own 22-metre line, the line-out formed at the spot where the ball crossed the touch-line instead of being taken in line with the spot from where it was kicked. Additional broken or dashed lines (of 5 metre dash lengths, according to the Laws ) are drawn in each half or on each side of, the field, each with specific purposes under
5734-468: The ball rolled forward, gifting England a penalty that proved to be the last score of the game. Some have claimed that Campese's action should have been interpreted as a deliberate professional foul, with possible disciplinary action against the Australian player. However, on the same ground in November 1988, Campese had intercepted a similar pass and run the length of the field to score a try. Some of
5856-417: The ball. Forwards play a vital role in tackling and rucking opposing players. Players in these positions are generally bigger and stronger and take part in the scrum and line-out. The forwards are often collectively referred to as the 'pack', especially when in the scrum formation. The front row consists of three players: two props (the loosehead prop and the tighthead prop) and the hooker . The role of
5978-547: The boys joined in, and when Oti scored his hat-trick the song was heard around the ground. Since then "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" has been a song to sing at England home games, in the same way that Fields of Athenry is sung in Dublin and Cwm Rhondda is sung in Cardiff . The United Kingdom, Ireland and France shared the hosting of the 1991 Rugby World Cup . Twickenham was used during pool A England matches. Twickenham
6100-591: The case of Northern Hemisphere rugby, or provincial/state sides in the case of Southern Hemisphere rugby. Between 1905 and 1908, all three major Southern Hemisphere rugby countries sent their first touring teams to the Northern Hemisphere: New Zealand in 1905, followed by South Africa in 1906 and Australia in 1908. All three teams brought new styles of play, fitness levels and tactics, and were far more successful than critics had expected. The New Zealand 1905 touring team performed
6222-403: The chance to be English club champions. In their first year, one after the inaugural competition kicked off in 1971, they made the semi-finals only to lose to eventual winners Coventry 35–6. During the 1990s, despite thrilling displays under Paul Turner , and his successor John Mitchell , both club and ground struggled to keep a grip on the demanding commercial and financial realities of running
SECTION 50
#17327730027366344-474: The close of the season, Sale beat Gloucester and Bath to sixth place in the Premiership, meaning that they qualified for Heineken Cup in the 2012–13 season. During the summer of 2012, Sale moved from Edgeley Park , their home since 2003, to the newly constructed Salford City Stadium (which was known as the AJ Bell Stadium for a period of 9 years but now the Salford Community Stadium ), to share with
6466-502: The club due to family matters. He left three matches into the 2020–21 Premiership season with the team having won two of those games. Commenting on his time with Sale, Diamond said: “I built with Simon (Orange) and Ged (Mason) a fantastic management team, a great club, really solid foundations and I thought if there was a time for me to step aside and let the other people come through that was the best time." In January 2021, Sale confirmed that Saracens forward coach Alex Sanderson took over
6588-550: The club has been on a sound financial footing. Off the field, Peter Deakin was recruited from Warrington Wolves rugby league as chief executive to employ the skills he had used with the Bradford Bulls and Saracens, and he made an immediate impact in raising the club's profile until hit by the serious illness which claimed his life in February 2003. Success was not immediate; Sale Sharks finished eleventh and tenth in
6710-468: The clubs that had favoured the Rugby Rules formed the Rugby Football Union in 1871, and their code became known as " rugby football ". In 1895, there was a major schism within rugby football in England in which numerous clubs from Northern England resigned from the RFU over the issue of reimbursing players for time lost from their workplaces. The split highlighted the social and class divisions in
6832-511: The departure of Saint-André, a number of key players announced that their time at Sale was up. Captain Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe and cult figure Sébastien Chabal all bade farewell to the club at the end of the season. For the 2009–10 season, Kingsley Jones was promoted from Head Coach to Director of Rugby; former Sale winger Jason Robinson became head coach. Sale had a disappointing 2009–10 season, finishing 11th in
6954-496: The early development of rugby football was the production of a written set of rules at Rugby School in 1845, followed by the Cambridge Rules that were drawn up in 1848. Formed in 1863, the national governing body The Football Association (FA) began codifying a set of universal football rules. These new rules specifically banned players from running with the ball in hand and also disallowed hacking (kicking players in
7076-400: The end of the season, leading Sale to a 10th-placed finish. In the 2011–12 pre-season, former player Steve Diamond was announced as chairman. Immediately, an overhaul of the playing and coaching staff began, dubbed "Diamond's Revolution". Sale started the season well, but form faltered towards the latter half of the campaign, and Tony Hanks was fired as head coach after a defeat to Saracens. At
7198-486: The field are divided into eight forwards (two more than in rugby league ) and seven backs . There are typically significantly more forwards on the bench than backs with, for example, South Africa having a 7-1 split in favour of forwards in their August 2023 match against New Zealand in Twickenham. A 6-2 or 5-3 split is more common. The main responsibilities of the forward players are to gain and retain possession of
7320-401: The field of play and called the 22-metre lines, or "22"s. An area at each end, also known as the "22", is bounded by, but does not include, the sidelines, goal line and 22-metre line. In this area, a defensive player who cleanly catches a ball kicked by the other team, without the ball having already touched the ground after the kick, is entitled to claim a free kick, or " mark ". Additionally, if
7442-603: The field to accommodate fitter and faster (or heavier) players. Fixed cameras on tripods and advertising hoardings are often the main culprits for injuring players in the perimeter area. Twickenham stadium Twickenham Stadium (officially known as the Allianz Stadium for sponsorship reasons) in Twickenham , in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames , England, is a rugby union stadium owned by
SECTION 60
#17327730027367564-493: The first time. On 19 March 1938, BBC Television broadcast the England ;– Scotland ( Calcutta Cup ) match from Twickenham, the first time that a rugby match was shown live on television. In 1959, to mark 50 years of the ground, a combined side of England and Wales beat Ireland and Scotland by 26 points to 17. Coming into the last match of the 1988 season, England had lost 15 of their previous 23 matches in
7686-425: The first to receive the ball from the scrum-half following a breakdown, lineout, or scrum, and need to be decisive with what actions to take and be effective at communicating with the outside backs. Many fly-halves are also their team's goal kickers. The scrum-half is the link between the forwards and the backs. They receive the ball from the lineout and remove the ball from the back of the scrum, usually passing it to
7808-537: The fly-half. They also feed the scrum and sometimes have to act as a fourth loose forward. There are four three quarter positions: two centres (inside and outside) and two wings (left and right). In the Southern Hemisphere, the inside centre is commonly referred to as the second five-eighth, while the outside centre is simply known as the centre. The centres will attempt to tackle attacking players; whilst in attack, they should employ speed and strength to breach opposition defences. The wings are generally positioned on
7930-414: The goal lines, equivalent to American football's "end zones". The in-goal areas must be between 6 and 22 metres (6.6 and 24.1 yards) deep and cover the full width of the field. A ball grounded in this area by an attacking player will generally result in a try being awarded, unless there has been a previous infringement, or the player has gone out-of-bounds whilst in possession of the ball. The perimeter area
8052-617: The good form continued, with Sale remaining in 2nd position for the remainder of the season. The club would then beat Leicester in their first home playoff semi-final since 2006. In the final Sale were leading 25–23 with 15 minutes remaining, but conceded two late tries resulting in Saracens winning 35–25. Notable leavers: Will Cliff , Jono Ross , Byron McGuigan , Akker van der Merwe , Coenie Oosthuizen and Ewan Ashman . 2023/24 Notable signings: Luke Cowan-Dickie , Agustín Creevy , Ernst van Rhyn and Sam Bedlow . After 1/3rd of
8174-422: The governing body for rugby union since 1886, and currently has 116 countries as full members and 18 associate members. In 1845, the first laws were written by pupils at Rugby School; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the decision by Blackheath F.C. to leave The Football Association in 1863 and, in 1895, the split between rugby union and rugby league . Historically rugby union
8296-457: The host nation. The Stadium also hosted semi-finals in 1999, including France's famous 43–31 victory over New Zealand. In August 2023, the stadium was confirmed as one of eight host venues for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup . The stadium will be one of eight host venues for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup and will host the final of the competition on the 27 September 2025. Though Twickenham usually only hosts rugby union fixtures, it has in
8418-441: The leading rugby union clubs in the north of England. Sale moved into Heywood Road in 1905 and remained there until 2003. Sale were unbeaten in 26 matches, winning 24 and drawing two in 1911. Although Pat Davies is counted as Sale's first international, having been picked to play for England in 1927, it was G.A.M. Isherwood who was Sale's first representative in an international Test match, when he played in all three tests of
8540-561: The league season Sale topped the table with 5 wins and 1 loss, although a mid-season drop in form would result in Sale having to win all their remaining matches following the 6 Nations break to stay in playoff contention. Sale would beat Saracens 20–10 on the final day of the regular season to finish in third place. Sale would then play Bath in the play-offs, losing 31–23. Notable leavers: Sam James, Manu Tuilagi, Agustin Creevy, Cobus Wiese From
8662-414: The most important attributes of a good full-back are dependable catching skills and a good kicking game. Rugby union is played between two teams – the one that scores more points wins the game. Points can be scored in several ways: a try , scored by grounding the ball in the in-goal area (between the goal line and the dead-ball line), is worth 5 points and a subsequent conversion kick scores 2 points;
8784-534: The new East Stand and subsequently the West Stand. In 1995, the stadium redevelopment was completed, the ground now accommodating 75,000 people in an all-seater environment. The North, East and West stands were all built by Mowlem . Planning permission was sought in 2002 and received in December 2004 for a new South Stand to further raise capacity, with building work commencing in June 2005. As well as increasing
8906-619: The new year but Sale narrowly missed out on the top 4 by 5 points, having to settle for a 6th-place finish. For the second season in a row they were defeated by French opposition in the Champions Cup quarter final losing 41–22 to Racing Metro despite leading 10–6 at halftime. Notable leavers: Faf De Klerk , Lood de Jager , Rohan Janse Van Rensburg , AJ Macginty , Cameron Neild and Curtis Langdon . 2022/23 Notable signings: George Ford , Jonny Hill and Tom O'Flaherty . The season started with five consecutive league wins and
9028-634: The opportunity to come back home and achieve something special was just too good to turn down,". Sanderson would extend his contract with the club in 2024, resulting in him remaining as director of rugby until the end of the 2026/27 season. The Sharks finished 3rd in the Gallagher Premiership. A semi-final tie away at Exeter Chiefs resulted in a 40 – 30 loss. In the Heineken Champions Cup after finishing Pool an 8th with one point, Sale went on to beat Scarlets away 57 – 14 in
9150-554: The others being played at Wembley . The game was televised live in the UK on BBC Two . The final two games of the agreement were played in 2017, with matchups announced on 13 December 2016. The World Rugby Museum is a museum located in Twickenham Stadium. The museum covers the whole of the global game, not just English rugby union. It tells the history of the sport, including William Webb Ellis and Richard Lindon , using interactive display techniques. The museum has
9272-414: The outside of the backline. Their primary function is to finish off moves and score tries. Wings are usually the fastest players in the team and are elusive runners who use their speed to avoid tackles. The full-back is normally positioned several metres behind the back line. They often field opposition kicks and are usually the last line of defence should an opponent break through the back line. Two of
9394-407: The past been the venue for a number of other events. In 2000, the ground hosted its first game of rugby league , in which Australia defeated England in the opening game of the 2000 Rugby League World Cup . The Rugby League Challenge Cup Final has also been played at Twickenham twice, in 2001 and 2006 , and was won by St. Helens on both occasions. Due to the construction delays of Wembley ,
9516-475: The play-off final to Saracens F.C. Their position entitled them to compete in the first tier 2023–24 European Rugby Champions Cup . The club's Director of Rugby is Alex Sanderson , who was appointed in January 2021 following the departure of long-time manager Steve Diamond in December 2020. The club was founded in 1861 and is one of the oldest clubs in English rugby. Throughout its history it has been one of
9638-440: The playing area and perimeter area, although depending on how large the perimeter is, other surfaces such as dirt, artificial turf, etc. may be used outside of a "sliding" perimeter from the bounds of the playing area. For the most part, the "playing area" is where the majority of play occurs. The ball is generally considered live whilst in this area, so long as players do not infringe, with special rules applied to specific zones of
9760-442: The playing area. The playing area consists of: A typical "field of play" is generally 100 metres long by 68–70 metres wide for senior rugby, depending on the specific requirements of each ground. The Laws require the field of play to be between 94 and 100 metres (103 and 109 yards) long, with a width of between 68 and 70 metres (74 and 77 yards). As other football codes, such as association football and rugby league, have specified
9882-432: The playing enclosure. Fences or ropes (particularly at amateur clubs) are generally used to mark the extent of this area, although in modern stadia this may include the entire arena floor or other designated space. The Laws, above all, require that the playing enclosure's surface be safe, whilst also permitting grass, sand, clay, snow or conforming artificial turf to be used; the surface would generally be uniform across both
10004-659: The pre-1995 period of rugby union was marked by frequent accusations of " shamateurism ", including an investigation in Britain by a House of Commons Select committee in early 1995. Following the introduction of professionalism trans-national club competitions were started, with the Heineken Cup in the Northern Hemisphere and Super Rugby in the Southern Hemisphere. The Tri Nations , an annual international tournament involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, kicked off in 1996. In 2012 , this competition
10126-534: The premiership, with his 76th try. Their first win of the season was against Cardiff Blues in the Heineken Cup, which was their only win in that year's Heineken Cup, where they finished bottom of their pool. In the LV Cup in the knock-out stages, they beat Saracens in the semi-final, but lost in the final to Harlequins 14–31. The 2013–14 season showed a huge improvement from the season before. Sale finished
10248-424: The premiership. Notable leavers: Johnny Leota and James O'Connor . 2019/20 Notable signings: South Africans Rob du Preez , Jean-Luc du Preez , Dan du Preez , Lood de Jager , Akker van der Merwe and Coenie Oosthuizen . Finished 5th in the premiership. Notable leavers: Chris Ashton , Rob Webber and Bryn Evans . 2020/21 Notable signings: Manu Tuilagi . In December 2020, Steve Diamond left
10370-442: The premiership. Notable leavers: Mike Phillips , Sam Tuitupou , Peter Stringer and Eifion Lewis-Roberts . 2017/18 Notable signings: Faf de Klerk , Jono Ross , James O'Connor , Marland Yarde and the return of Will Cliff . Finished 8th in the premiership. Notable leavers: Mike Haley , Will Addison and David Seymour . 2018/19 Notable signings: Chris Ashton and Rohan Janse van Rensburg . Finished 7th in
10492-415: The professional era and is also often used by host nations, professional leagues and tournaments as additional revenue streams, particularly when games are broadcast. In recent years, augmented reality technology has been used to replace painting to protect the surface or save costs on painting fields, producing a similar effect for broadcast albeit sometimes with poorer results. The in-goal areas sit behind
10614-425: The right to throw-in. The perimeter area should be clear and free of obstructions and heavy, solid objects which could pose a danger to players for at least 5 metres from the playing area, according to the Laws. Players often leave the playing area whether accidentally or due to being forced off of the field, sometimes sliding or needing to slow down from a sprint. Many venues at elite levels leave larger spaces around
10736-417: The role of Director of Rugby at the club. The 41-year-old started his senior playing career at Sale Sharks in 1998, after playing junior rugby at local club Littleborough. He went on to make 90 appearances for the club, with his leadership qualities earning him the club captaincy. Alex was quoted saying "I'm joining a club I know all about from my time here, but things have moved on massively since those days and
10858-452: The round of 16 setting up a last-eight away tie at La Rochelle resulting in a 45 – 21 defeat. That season saw academy prospects Sam Dugdale , Bevan Rodd , Arron Reed and Raffi Quirke all become first-team regulars. 2021/22 Notable signings: Nick Schonert and the return of Tommy Taylor and Simon McIntyre . The team struggled in the first half of the season, which was Sanderson's first full season in charge. Results picked up in
10980-483: The season in sixth place, missing out on a place on the play-off competition, but managed to secure qualification to the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup . They also managed to reach the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup , where they lost to Northampton Saints . Sale's successes in the season prompted England national team head coach Stuart Lancaster to call up six Sale players in to
11102-417: The semi-finals in the Premiership or win a trophy. On 19 August 2008, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe was announced as the captain for the new season, replacing Jason White who was still recovering from an injury. A new Premiership record of four games without leaking a try was set at the start of the season, these games were Newcastle (A), Saracens (H), Bristol (A) and Gloucester (H). Sale was knocked out of
11224-590: The shins), both of which were legal and common tactics under the Rugby School's rules of the sport. In protest at the imposition of the new rules, the Blackheath Club left the FA followed by several other clubs that also favoured the "Rugby Rules". Although these clubs decided to ban hacking soon afterwards, the split was permanent, and the FA's codified rules became known as " association football " whilst
11346-427: The sport in England. Although the rules of the game were not a factor in the split, the breakaway teams subsequently adopted some rule changes and this became the separate code of " rugby league ". The RFU's code thereafter took on the name "rugby union" to differentiate it from rugby league, but both versions of the sport are known simply as "rugby" throughout most of the world. The first rugby football international
11468-630: The squad to play in the summer tour. For the 2014–15 season, the Sharks finished in seventh in the Aviva Premiership, while they finished bottom of their pool in the European Rugby Champions Cup, having pushed Munster, Saracens & Clermont Auvergne all the way at the AJ Bell Stadium. The standout players for this campaign were academy prospects Mike Haley and Josh Beaumont who became first team regulars, and Josh
11590-489: The stadium also hosts The Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge , the English schools' Daily Mail Cup Final and the Army Navy Match , which forms the culmination of the annual Inter-Services Competition. Sold-out Tests against New Zealand and South Africa at Crystal Palace saw the RFU realise the benefit of owning their own ground. Committee member William Williams and treasurer William Cail led
11712-506: The stadium during her Diamonds World Tour on 15 and 16 June 2013 for 95,971 people for both nights. Since the mid-1950s it has also hosted the Jehovah's Witnesses annual convention for the London area. Usually up to 25,000 attend to hear Bible talks. The TV motoring show Top Gear used the pitch for a match of rugby, played using Kia cars. This was played prior to resurfacing. It
11834-553: The stadium in September 2007 and Rod Stewart in June. The usual capacity for concerts is anything up to 50,000, as opposed to the 82,000 for rugby. R.E.M. performed at Twickenham in August 2008, while New Jersey rockers Bon Jovi played two gigs at the stadium in June 2008 as part of their Lost Highway Tour , and Iron Maiden played there as part of their Somewhere Back in Time World Tour on 5 July 2008, along with
11956-416: The stadium's capacity to 82,000, the redevelopment introduced a four-star Marriott hotel with 156 rooms and six VIP suites with views over the field, a performing arts complex, a health and leisure club, a new rugby shop and a general increase in function space. In July 2005, the old south stand was demolished to make way for the new development. The festivities that were planned to mark this were cancelled in
12078-432: The tallest players in the team and specialise as line-out jumpers. The main role of the lock in line-outs is to make a standing jump, often supported by the other forwards, to either collect the thrown ball or ensure the ball comes down on their side. Locks also have an important role in the scrum, binding directly behind the three front row players and providing forward drive. The back row, not to be confused with 'Backs',
12200-610: The team also went on to capture the European Challenge Cup at Oxford's Kassam Stadium , defeating Pontypridd 25–22. The latter Mallinder days saw the club at Twickenham again in 2004, losing narrowly to the Falcons in the Powergen Cup Final. In the summer of 2004 Jim Mallinder left Sale to take up a position in the RFU's National Academy. Following Mallinder's departure Sale appointed former French international Philippe Saint-André who had recently been turned down for
12322-472: The top of the table. In the semi-final against London Wasps , they won 22–12. They won the 2006 Premiership title with a 45–20 win against Leicester Tigers. After the success of the 2005–06 season many at the club had hoped for a repeat. However an injury crisis struck. More and more injuries were picked up over the following months until Sale were left with only 17 of a 38-man squad fit to play in their final Heineken Cup match against Ospreys . In 2007–08, it
12444-513: The traditional spiritual " Swing Low, Sweet Chariot " as a terrace song. Three of England's tries in the match were scored by Chris Oti , a black player who had made a reputation for himself that season as speedy left winger. A group of boys from the Benedictine school Douai , following a tradition at their school games, sang "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" whenever a try was scored. When Oti scored his second try, amused spectators standing close to
12566-424: The two locks at the back of the scrum. The role of the number 8 in the scrum is to control the ball after it has been heeled back from the front of the pack, and the position provides a link between the forwards and backs during attacking phases. The role of the backs is to create and convert point-scoring opportunities. They are generally smaller, faster and more agile than the forwards. Another distinction between
12688-453: The two props is to support the hooker during scrums, to provide support for the jumpers during line-outs and to provide strength and power in rucks and mauls. The third position in the front row is the hooker. The hooker is a key position in attacking and defensive play and is responsible for winning the ball in the scrum. Hookers normally throw the ball in at line-outs. The second row consists of two locks or lock forwards. Locks are usually
12810-568: The vacant position as coach of Wales. However, with a new influx of players including French internationals Sébastien Bruno and Sébastien Chabal helped Saint-André and Sale win the 2005 European Challenge Cup again at Oxford, this time 27–3 against Pau , for the second time in three years. New additions to the squad for the 2005–06 season included French prop Lionel Faure , Samoan back Elvis Seveali'i and Welsh number eight Nathan Bonner-Evans . Building on their European Challenge Cup success, Sale won 16 games out of 22 to finish two games clear at
12932-498: The wake of the 7 July terror attacks in the centre of London. The new seating, which had been started by Mowlem , was completed by Carillion on 5 November 2006 in time for the England vs New Zealand game of that year's autumn internationals series, in which England lost in a near-record defeat. The rugby stadium continued to be developed into 2018 with the upgrading of the east stand. The new stand offers match-day hospitality as well as six floors of event spacing. The east stand
13054-468: The way to purchasing a 10.25 acre (4 hectare) market garden in Twickenham in 1907 for £ 5,500 12s 6d. The first stands were constructed the following year. Before the ground was purchased, it was used to grow, among other vegetables, cabbages, and so Twickenham Stadium is affectionately known as the Cabbage Patch. After further expenditure on roads, the first game, between Harlequins v. Richmond ,
13176-492: The wealth of talent, hitherto largely untapped, in rugby league. Apollo Perelini , known as "The Terminator" for his uncompromising style, joined Sale Sharks the day after helping St. Helens to victory in the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford and the media had a field day when Jason Robinson , possibly the most exciting wing in the world in either code, moved to Sale from Wigan Warriors . In 2002
13298-462: Was World Cup year so the club was without some of their big names. Sale appointed James Jennings as the new chief executive and Dean Schofield as the new captain. Sale had signed good players including Luke McAlister from the Blues in New Zealand. The season was up and down. Successes included; beating Leicester Tigers home and away for the first time. However, the low points were not qualifying for
13420-484: Was also host of the 1991 Rugby World Cup Final in which Australia beat England 12–6. For this game, England changed their style of play, opting for the sort of running game that had brought them victory against Ireland in the March 1988 game referred to above. During this match, with the English facing a 12–3 deficit, David Campese reached one-handed for a ball thrown to England winger, Rory Underwood . He dropped it and
13542-737: Was an amateur sport, but in 1995 formal restrictions on payments to players were removed, making the game openly professional at the highest level for the first time. Rugby union spread from the Home Nations of the United Kingdom and Ireland , with other early exponents of the sport including Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and France . The sport is followed primarily in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, New Zealand, Australia, Pacific Islands - Fiji , Tonga , Samoa , Georgia , Oceania , Southern Africa , Argentina , and in recent times also, Italy , Japan , South America ,
13664-625: Was announced on 3 November 2015 that the RFU and America's National Football League had agreed a three-year deal to host at least three NFL London Games . The deal began in October 2016 and gave the opportunity to host an additional two games over the three-year period of the deal. On 23 October 2016, the Los Angeles Rams hosted the New York Giants at Twickenham Stadium. This was the second of three London Games in 2016, with
13786-636: Was called up for the England squad for the England XV which played the Barbarians in May, and scored a try. From the 2015–16 to the 2019–2020 seasons Sale were regular mid-table finishers. With fifth being their highest finish and tenth their lowest in this period. The club was taken over in June 2016 by an investment group led by Simon Orange. 2016/17 Notable signings: Rob Webber , AJ MacGinty , Mike Phillips and Byron McGuigan . Finished 10th in
13908-472: Was completed, providing offices for the RFU, who made the ground their home. In 1937, Middlesex County Council approved a scheme submitted by Twickenham Borough Council to widen Rugby Road due to it being inadequate for traffic. In 1965, the South Terrace was closed due to structural failings. It was found to be cheaper to build a new stand than to repair the existing one; however, planning permission
14030-463: Was extended to include Argentina , a country whose impressive performances in international games (especially finishing in third place in the 2007 Rugby World Cup) was deemed to merit inclusion in the competition. As a result of the expansion to four teams, the tournament was renamed The Rugby Championship. Each team starts the match with 15 players on the field and typically seven or eight substitutes but this varies at amateur level. The 15 players on
14152-651: Was held at Murrayfield in 1993. Rugby Sevens was introduced into the Commonwealth Games in 1998 and was added to the Olympic Games of 2016. Both men and women's Sevens took place at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Rugby union was an amateur sport until the IRB declared the game "open" in August 1995 (shortly after the completion of the 1995 World Cup), removing restrictions on payments to players. However,
14274-599: Was included as an event in the Olympic Games four times during the early 20th century. No international rugby games and union-sponsored club matches were played during the First World War, but competitions continued through service teams such as the New Zealand Army team . During the Second World War no international matches were played by most countries, though Italy, Germany and Romania played
14396-491: Was over budget due to additional safety measures put in place to make the redeveloped structure capable of withstanding a bomb attack, and to make it fireproof, with work carried out on the cladding in response to the Grenfell Tower fire . Following the upgrade, the roof is now complete. Twickenham Stadium has hosted Rugby World Cup Matches in 1991, 1999 and 2015, including the finals in 1991 and 2015 when England were
14518-573: Was played between Scotland and England at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh. The Rugby World Cup , first held in 1987, is held every four years. The Six Nations Championship in Europe and The Rugby Championship in the Southern Hemisphere are other important international competitions that are held annually. National club and provincial competitions include the Premiership in England, the Top 14 in France,
14640-514: Was played on 2 October 1909, and the first international, England v. Wales , on 15 January 1910. At the time of the England-Wales game, the stadium had a maximum capacity of 20,000 spectators. During World War I, the ground was used for cattle, horse and sheep grazing. King George V unveiled a war memorial in 1921. In 1926, the first Middlesex Sevens took place at the ground. In 1927 the first Varsity Match took place at Twickenham for
14762-652: Was played on 27 March 1871 between Scotland and England in Edinburgh . Scotland won the game by one goal and one try to one goal. By 1881 both Ireland and Wales had representative teams and in 1883 the first international competition, the Home Nations Championship had begun. 1883 is also the year of the first rugby sevens tournament, the Melrose Sevens , which is still held annually. Two important overseas tours took place in 1888:
14884-468: Was refused, due to objections from local residents. Permission was eventually granted in 1978. A period of extensive rebuilding took place during the early 1980s, which continued through to the mid-1990s. In 1981, the South Terrace was rebuilt as the South Stand. After being taken down in 1989, an extended North Stand was opened in 1990. Following the 1992 Five Nations, the stadium saw the development of
#735264