Billy Williams | England Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo 1885 - 1902 Profile Billy Williams, who died at his home at Hampton Wick on April 14, aged 90, was a fine allround sportsman. Born on April 12, 1860, he was a member of MCC from 1900. In the seasons of 1885 and 1886 he appeared as wicketkeeper for Middlesex, and after an absence of 14 years returned to the county side as a bowler of legbreaks, playing occasionally till 1905. During the winter of 1896-97 he toured the West Indies with Mr. Arthur Priestley's team and, with 67 wickets at an average cost of 9.62, finished second in the bowling averages to A. E. Stoddart. He often assisted MCC and was credited with taking 100 or more wickets a season in all matches for 55 years.

In his last summer as a player, he turned out at the age of 74 for MCC against the House of Lords and, after dismissing Lord Dalkeith, Lord Tennyson and Major L. George for 16 runs, was presented by the Marylebone Club with the ball. A good story is told of when, at the age of 65, he visited the West Indies during the tour of the Hon. F. S. G. Calthorpe's M.C.C. team in 1925-26. In Georgetown he challenged a West Indian friend against whom he played 30 years before to a single-wicket match for £25 a side. Winning the toss, Williams severely punished his opponent's bowling, completed a century and declared. Then, with a googly, he bowled his exhausted victim first ball.

Apart from his cricket, Williams, as he was known to everyone for many years, was celebrated as the man who, in the early part of the century when a member of the Middlesex County Rugby Union Committee, ended a long search for a suitable site for a National Rugby Union ground by discovering a cabbage field of 10 acres which has since developed into the famous Twickenham enclosure. For a long time the ground, later extended by 18 acres, was known to Rugby football followers as "Billy Williams's cabbage patch." Formerly a player for the Harlequins RFC, he was a Rugby referee for 21 years. An honorary member of the Wimbledon Park Golf Club, he played a daily round until his last illness, and was a regular attendant at Lord's and at Rugby matches in the London area, particularly Richmond. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack The Cabbage Patch - 67 London Road, Twickenham, Surrey, TW1 3SZ - Surrey | View The Cabbage Patch 67 London Road, Twickenham, Surrey, TW1 3SZ (020) 8892 3874 Tell us what we need to know... Has this venue closed?

Is the venue name incorrect? Yes Is the phone number incorrect? Yes Thanks for suggesting updates to this listing, we'll take a look at what you've submitted shortly! back to listing lists The Cabbage Patch information The Cabbage Patch is a traditional public house that proves very popular when there's some sport on, thanks to its big screen and impressive selection of drinks. Ranked #1272 of 2091 pubs & bars in London Is this venue information incorrect? Help us get it right! Do you work at The Cabbage Patch? Claim your free listing to take control. Add offers, images, event info and more for free! Club entry £5 before 23:00 then £10 after Entry Restrictions 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, Commercial, House, R & B TV Screens Pool Tables, Games Machines, Newspapers, Internet Terminals, WiFi, Jukebox, 3D TV, Sky Sports Payment Covered patio and heated smoking area.

Awards 2009 S and N Pub of the Year 2009 Community Pub of the Year 2008 Entertainment Pub of the Year Children Welcome Kids Menu, High Chairs, Toys/Activities, Baby Changing Facilities show more What did you think of The Cabbage Patch? your rating By S. Posted on 13/03/2007 The Cabbage Patch is a brilliantly traditional place that made my old man very happy indeed. We sat and drank a few ales and had a very pleasant time indeed - made all the better by the nice staff. Don't be put off by the odd name as the Cabbage Patch is definitely worth a visit. By Des D. Posted on 24/04/2012 This famous pub close to the home of English rugby union is now part of the Fuller’s stable, with a refurbished interior appealing to a much wider public than its ruggerish reputation suggests. The Venue In the first decade of the 20th century, Billy Williams turned his market garden in Twickenham into a rugby pitch that played host to the first England v Wales international.

Eventually the site was gifted to the Rugby Football Union and developed into the second biggest stadium in the UK after Wembley – but it’s still known affectionately to fans by the nickhame ‘Billy Williams’ cabbage patch.’ Thus the name of this sprawling pub diagonally opposite Twickenham station and en route to the stadium, a popular rendezvous for before and after match crowds. Fuller’s took over the Cabbage Patch in 2011 and fully refurbished it early in 2012, retaining the rugby theme. Outside a new white paint job has left the building looking rather less forbidding than the previous yellow and black. Inside are several interconnected rooms with a slightly eccentric, loungey feel – aged wooden tables, a mix of seats including some unusual tip-up ones, padded benches and cushions. Rugby memorabilia – shirts, balls, photos – are on display and even some of the wallpaper and furniture fabric depicts the game. There’s a relatively large heated garden and function and conference rooms for hire. The pub’s other historical connection besides rugby is music. There’s a nightclub upstairs and it’s also the longstanding host both of Twickfolk (the Twickenham Folk Club) and the Eel Pie Rhythm and Blues Club.

This latter is a continuation of a local tradition that started on nearby Eel Pie Island in the 1960s and has featured such legends as Ronnie Wood and Geno Washington. The Atmosphere The pub has a split personality. On match days it’s predictably heaving with rugby fans and certainly not a place to go for a quiet drink. At other times it’s family friendly and welcomes a wide range of drinkers and diners, with a good gender mix. The live music and other events bring in their own followers. Big screens and loudish recorded music don’t make for an intimate atmosphere, though, and the place works better when full and lively. There’s a regular weekly quiz. The Food The menu at the Cabbage Patch makes a feature of pizzas (from £6.30) but also stretches to pub grub staples like beef and ale pie (£8.95), sausage and mash (£7.95), spatchcock chicken (£11.95), vegetarian pasta or salmon fishcakes. It’s open for breakfast, there are £5 meal deals for weekday lunch, offers on pizzas and wine on Monday to Wednesday evenings, and a children’s menu at £5.25.

The Drink The Cabbage Patch was previously tied to Heineken and the deal with Fuller’s has meant that unusually beers from both suppliers share space on an expanded range of handpumps. Besides London Pride, ESB and Fuller’s seasonal you’re likely to find several Caledonian beers such as Deuchars IPA, seasonals and specials, and guests from the likes of Brain’s – the latter no doubt to keep visiting Welsh fans happy. There’s a good range of 27 wines including several by the glass, some single malts and the standard keg beers and stouts. The Last Word A must-visit for rugby and rhythm and blues fans, the Cabbage Patch should also appeal to those seeking a family friendly pub in the area, and the improved beer range following the Fuller’s takeover is a notable extra asset. Check the Twickenham fixtures calendar before you set out, though! By Nancy W. Posted on 19/09/2010 As a venue for music, we didn't much like it.

We could hear competing noise (loud music - maybe amplified, but definitely loud customers singing) from downstairs during the performance - and we were in the part of the audience very near the performer, as far away from the downstairs door as possible. The performer was bothered by that competing noise, too, and had to ask the sound guy to raise his music's volume to drown it out. The layout of upstairs was fine if you could sit within about 5 or 6 rows of the stage, which is where we luckily were. However, more seats were arranged in rows or 3 or 4 chairs paralleling the bar and running all the way back to the entrance door - maybe 10 more rows. They were not tiered back there and there was no way people a few rows or further back would ever have seen the performer. Finally, the show was supposed to start at 8 pm but the audience had to wait in the pub until the door was supposed to open at 8. However, the opening performer must have been late, so it didn't get started until about 8:30. The opener's performance was cut very short (literally, two songs) so the main perfomer could start and end presumably on time.

Unclear whose fault these things were, but overall we felt a little short-changed. Rugby Union: Twickenham Focus I: From cabbage patch to super stadium: Far-sighted committee men have given English rugby a home to be proud of | The Independent Rugby Union: Twickenham Focus I: From cabbage patch to super stadium: Far-sighted committee men have given English rugby a home to be proud of Thursday 25 November 1993 00:02 BST Click to follow The Independent Online WHEN England play New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday the former cabbage patch will have become a king among rugby stadiums. To carry the Lewis Carroll analogy to its limit, Billy Williams, the man who found English rugby its home 86 years ago, would have imagined pigs with wings rather than the way the ground has now developed. Other than a World Cup final, there could hardly be a more fitting way of inaugurating the new East Stand, with its triple-deck capacity of 25,000 bringing Twickenham's up to 68,000 - still nowhere near enough to accommodate the hundreds of thousands who would like to see the All Blacks.

You could even forgive the Rugby Football Union if it wished to sit back and contentedly enjoy its soaring facility but now, of all times, is not the time. No sooner is the East Stand completed than the committee of the RFU, at its meeting tomorrow, will be asked to decide whether to press on immediately with the West Stand. The rebuilding would take two and a half years and involve maybe another pounds 16m on top of the pounds 15m spent on the East and pounds 16m on the North, which preceded the East. Richmond-upon-Thames Borough Council has already granted full planning permission to keep Twickenham as a building site to the end of 1995. How convenient it would be to have the new Twickenham - by then holding 76,000 - available for the World Cup if the tournament had to be removed from South Africa. But not even then would the RFU be finished, because the final step would be to redesign (though probably not rebuild) the 12-year-old South Stand and so complete a gigantic bowl holding something like 82,000 people. Alas for sentiment, nothing much of the old Twickenham would remain.

You may wonder how on earth the RFU can contemplate such grandiose plans in these recessionary times. The answer is that it is precisely because of the recession that the RFU has been able to proceed so far so fast. By signing its East- Stand contract with Mowlem at the depth of the recession, the cost per seat in the East was pounds 500 compared with pounds 900 in the North. The cost per seat for the West would be around pounds 600. Small wonder that Tony Hallett, the enlightened chairman of the RFU's ground and building committee, wishes to press on and will be saying so to the full committee tomorrow. 'We are giving English rugby a superb asset, the type of stadium it deserves,' Hallett said. 'It's well known among the RFU committee that I'm in favour of proceeding because I doubt we would ever again have such favourable conditions.' Among them are the depressed state of the building industry, low interest rates and the unprecedentedly high public interest in rugby. Even with Twickenham's increased capacity, international matches there are routinely five-times oversubscribed.

The RFU's gross take from these games is of the order of pounds 1.5m a time. So although considerable debt would be incurred in going ahead with the West (unlike the North and East, which have been largely financed by the sale of debentures), income is more or less guaranteed both to pay the interest charges and pay off the principal. 'We have shown we can build a stand to time and to budget,' Hallett said. 'We have built the East Stand in 14 weeks less than it took to build the smaller North Stand. That is a very good launching-pad for progress, to get on with the West.' Billy Williams would not have comprehended what has happened to Twickenham, though he did recognise the crucial potential of an out-of-town site. You have only to look at the restrictions placed on the Welsh Rugby Union by Cardiff Arms Park's city-centre location - in particular the impossibility of expansion much beyond the present capacity of 52,000 - to realise how far-sighted Williams was.

He was the RFU committee man who took on the task of finding a permanent site after England matches had moved between The Oval, Crystal Palace, Manchester, Richmond, Blackheath, Leicester, Leeds, Dewsbury, Birkenhead and Bristol in their earliest years. When Williams found a 10-acre market-garden site there was opposition because it was 12 miles from the middle of London and might be susceptible to flooding from the River Crane. Even so, the RFU bought the land for pounds 5,500, a tidy sum in those days, and by October 1909 Billy Williams's cabbage-patch, as it was forever after known, was ready for its first match, a victory for Harlequins over Richmond. The first international was played there in January 1910, 18,000 watching England setting out towards their first championship for 18 years by beating Wales for the first time since 1898. Indeed the Welsh came to regard Twickenham as their bogy ground, because they did not win there until 1933.

At the outset Twickenham's only stand was the East and after the land had been temporarily returned to grazing to help the First World War effort, England's success during the Twenties persuaded the RFU to pursue the ground's first major developments. Between 1925 and 1932 the North Stand was built, an upper tier added to the East and the double- decker West Stand added. So the ground remained until 1981 when the South Enclosure was turned into the South Stand, though the futuristic design was contentious then and has since become so unpopular and so out of keeping with the rest of the rebuilt Twickenham that few will grieve if the RFU carry on after rebuilding the West Stand. As Hallett notes regretfully, when the South Stand was built the RFU did not have the strategic building plan it has now. The likelihood is that, with the East fully open to greet the All Blacks, the committee will vote tomorrow to proceed with the West.

In which case, as soon as the Pilkington Cup final has been played on 7 May work will begin, with the intention of repeating the progress of the East by having the first tier in use by November 1994 and the whole thing finished by November 1995. And if that makes Twickenham a stadium ahead of its time, that is the way it has, literally, always been: as the All Blacks will find on Saturday, the dressing-room clocks are by tradition set three minutes early. (Photograph omitted) Welcome to the Official Site of the Rugby Football Union, Governing English Rugby Tweet History of the RFU On January 26, 1871 21 clubs were represented by 32 people at a meeting chaired by EC Holmes, the Captain of Richmond Club. It was held at the Pall Mall Restaurant in London. Within two hours the Rugby Union was formed. Algernon Rutter of Richmond was elected as the first President, with Edwin Ash as the first Secretary/Treasurer. The founder clubs of the Union still extant are Blackheath, Civil Service, Guys Hospital, Harlequins, Kings College, Richmond, St Paul’s School, Wellington College and Wimbledon Hornets.

At this foundation meeting two sub-committees were formed, the first, consisting of three Old Rugbeians, was tasked with writing the Laws of the Game. The other was tasked with choosing a team to play the Scottish members of the Union, who had issued a challenge to the English members. The first recognised international football game, of any code, took place later the same year. Fairly quickly after the formation of the RFU other countries formed their own unions, the Scots in 1873, the Irish in 1879 and the Welsh in 1880 and annual home-nations fixtures were contested. The RFU remained the ultimate arbiter of the sport until formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886, which the RFU finally joined in 1890. The North-South split The popularity of the game increased more rapidly in the north of England than in the south and by the early 1890s Lancashire and Yorkshire were contributing the majority of players to the England team.

However, northern footballers, often shift-working colliers, builders, publicans or foundrymen, found that representing county and country made increasing demands on their time and so began to call for “broken-time” payments to compensate for their lost earnings. This contravened the RFU’s strict amateur code and in 1895, intransigence on both sides resulted in what became known as the “great schism”. In August of that year at the George Hotel in Huddersfield, 22 clubs from the north of England resigned from the RFU and formed the Northern Union, which later came to be known as the Rugby League. Following well attended tours by New Zealand, South Africa and New Zealand the Union committee decided it was time to build their own stadium. One of their members, William Williams, eventually decided that a market garden of 101/4 acres near the small town of Twickenham was the most suitable site. The land was purchased for £5,572, 12s/6d in 1907. The ground became known as “Billy Williams’ Cabbage Patch”, although it had actually been used for growing fruit.

The first match to be played at Twickenham was between Harlequins and Richmond in October 1909 and the first international was between England and Wales in January 1910. The stadium has been the permanent home of the England national team and the RFU ever since. Four years later the RFU issued a circular to all players solemnly advising them to join the armed forces just 9 days before the outbreak of World War One. A generation later the stadium itself was called into active service during World War Two, the North Stand was used as a swarf-store and the West Stand converted into a casualty receiving station. In 1995, almost 100 years to the day since the great schism, the IRB declared the game “open” and rugby entered the age of professionalism. The RFU, despite voting against this motion, adjusted and quickly prospered. Twickenham Stadium is now home to a four-star hotel, leisure club and conferences facilities which along with the RFU’s other commercial activities allows the organisation to invest in English rugby clubs, the English national team and schools rugby amongst others.

How Twickenham grew from a cabbage patch into a cathedral of rugby Stadium of the century How Twickenham grew from a cabbage patch into a cathedral of rugby Titles have been won and lost, dreams realised and ruined and cars driven across the hallowed turf in the name of research during a hundred years at HQ by Tommy Curran 23/10/2015 07:00 GMT LONDON, 28 Oct - An awful lot changes in a century but on Whitton Road in south-west London, Twickenham Stadium still stands tall more than a hundred years after hosting its first rugby match. This weekend the old Cabbage Patch, as it was once known, will be home to the final of Rugby World Cup 2015, the only stadium to have twice staged the final of the sport's premier tournament. Admittedly, the stadium and its surrounding concourses have changed considerably since Harlequins’ four-point win over Richmond in the first clash at rugby headquarters in 1909 (pictured).

But the excitement, drama and intensity over the coming two weekends will be just the same as it was 106 years ago when Adrian Stoop helped his side to victory on the rain-drenched turf at Twickenham. TERRIFIC TWICKERS Five years before the Titanic embarked on its ill-fated maiden voyage, Billy Williams splashed out £5,500 of the fledgling Rugby Football Union's cash for a 10-and-a-quarter acre market garden that was used to grow cabbages. The first stands of Twickenham Stadium were constructed on the old cabbage patch a year later – hence the ground’s nickname – and after roads and pedestrian pavements had been constructed, the arena was ready to host its first match. In 1910, England v Wales became the first international test match at the venue in front of 22,000 spectators, but the onset of World War One would halt, for the time being at least, any more history being made. The RFU implored all players to be patriotic and enlist with the armed forces – Twickenham, meanwhile, would be used for cattle, horse and sheep grazing.

Two years after the conclusion of the Great War, though, rugby was very much back on the agenda for players and fans. Twickers hosted the inaugural Middlesex Sevens in 1926 and the first Varsity Match a year later. Since then, Five and Six Nations titles have been won and lost, hopes have been realised and ruined and more sore heads have been made than anyone can care to count. MIND YOUR LANGUAGE Pinned firmly to the wall of the wooden commentary box sitting at the top of Twickenham’s South Terrace on the afternoon of 15 January, 1927, were the words “Don’t Swear”. They were a firm reminder to former Harlequins captain Teddy Wakelam to keep his language clean during the first running sports commentary to be broadcast on BBC radio that day. Wakelam was the pioneer of the technique called grid commentary: the Radio Times would print a reference card that divided the Twickenham pitch into numbered squares, and listeners at home would, with the commentator’s help, use it to decipher where on the pitch action was taking place.

Although the audio quality would not have been anything like the digital standard we enjoy today, we can only assume that Wakelam kept the swear jar empty over the course of England’s 11-9 defeat of Wales – he would go on to become the voice of British sports broadcasting. SCOT A GOOD VIEW Fast-forward a decade and there was another innovation about to take sport by storm – television. Of course, owning a TV in 1938 was a rare luxury but those who did were given a treat when England played Scotland in the first rugby match broadcast live. BBC viewers watched in astonishment on their black-and-white sets as Robert Wilson Shaw dived over in the final moments of the 52nd Calcutta Cup contest to seal a 21-16 win and Scotland’s Triple Crown. Regarded as one of the all-time great tries at Twickenham, it sparked a Scottish pitch invasion and Wilson was carried off the pitch by his teammates. Unsurprisingly, rugby would be absent from television screens for several years following the outbreak of World War Two, but in 1952 the BBC met representatives of the four home nations to discuss further broadcasts.

Coverage would, however, still be a world away from the glorious high-definition broadcasts we are treated to at RWC2015. A DIFFERENT BATTLE Still bearing the scars of battle with flak holes in the roof and stands, Twickenham was host to the first rugby match following the long-awaited end of the World War Two. Incredibly, the upper tier of the West Stand had been damaged by a V-1 bomb during the six-year conflict and was not fit for its purpose until the War Commission found time to assist in its rebuilding. After standing together in the battlefields across Europe, players from England and Scotland gathered to remember those who had given their lives in the military conflict, before taking part in a Victory test match. What a relief it must have been for those on the pitch and those in the stands, many recently returned from action and in military uniforms, to have returned to a sense of normality. Seventy years on as we enjoy the glorious spectacle of a Rugby World Cup, it would be easy to forget the sacrifice that so many made.

RUNNING FREE Twickenham has been home to some of the most spectacular moments in the game’s long history, but it has also been witness to some of the most peculiar. As well as hosting the first radio and television broadcasts, the old cabbage patch was the place where streaking at sporting events made its debut. Winning a £10 bet was Australian Michael O’Brien’s reward for stripping naked and running onto the field during a charity match between an England and France XV in 1974. His punishment? A trip to the police station and a £10 fine. Although O'Brien may have been the first streaker, he is not necessarily the most fondly remembered. That acclaim goes to Erica Roe, who decided to make her move while Bill Beaumont was giving his half-time team talk to fellow England players. "I was trying to get through to the boys - but most of them seemed to be gazing over my shoulder," recalled Beaumont after the game against Australia in 1982. It was left to Steve Smith to tell the England captain what all the fuss was about. “Bill,” he said.

“There’s a bird just run on with your bum on her chest!” WALK ON THE WHITTON SIDE Make the short walk along Whitton Road from Twickenham Station to the stadium on matchdays and you find yourself salivating at the sight of the hot dogs, burgers and doughnuts on offer in the front gardens of houses lining the street. The food, memorabilia and scarf-sellers situated on the lead-up to the stadium all add to the atmosphere that helps make Twickenham’s matchday experience unique. The whole town becomes a festival of rugby on game days and as this clip, an extract from the film William Webb Ellis. Are you Mad? shows, that is nothing new. Produced by the Rugby Football Union in celebration of its centenary season in 1971, the fascinating film shows Twickenham staff preparing for the Calcutta Cup contest between England and Scotland in 1969. It’s nice to see that, in our increasingly technology-focused world, some things haven’t changed. Notice the official programme sellers, who are still dotted around the stadium on matchdays today.

BOUNCED BY THE WALLABIES After pounding the French to a pulp in Paris and marching past Scotland at Murrayfield, Geoff Cooke’s England had the chance to lift the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time, and on home soil, against the Wallabies in the final of RWC 1991. But Wallaby prop Tony Daly was the sole try-scorer as England were punished for adopting an open, expansive game following stinging criticism of their style from Australia’s David Campese. England could, however, take some consolation from the defeat - they had won the Grand Slam and their ninth overall Five Nations earlier in the year by defeating France 21-19 at Twickenham. MIND-BLOWING MEMORIES Twickenham’s lonely and somewhat incongruous South Stand was quite literally blown away 10 years ago as this exceedingly low-quality mobile phone footage from 2005 shows. It would return, of course, after £80 million of investment in November 2006 complete with four-star hotel and conference centre and an increased capacity of 82,000. England marked its completion with a 41-20 loss to New Zealand.

SPEED OF CHANGE Rugby at Twickenham has not just been about 30 men chasing a wonky ball around a muddy pitch for 80 minutes. It’s also been home to six cars chasing a giant-sized rugby ball around an even muddier pitch in the name of "research". The ground’s hallowed turf was left looking like a patchwork quilt when the BBC’s mischievous Top Gear trio Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May took to the field to test out a family hatchback. As you would perhaps expect, the so-called research was not exactly scientific and involved the sort of stunning smash-ups that regular followers of the motoring magazine show have come to expect. OK, so they might not have followed all the game’s rules to the letter, but at least it showed Twickenham’s potential as a multi-purpose venue and provided us with answers to some long-wondered questions. A car cannot keep its cool à la Bernard Foley at RWC 2015 and kick a penalty between the posts at rugby HQ.

ROLLING WITH THE TIMES In 2003, just weeks before Jonny Wilkinson hit a last-minute drop-goal in Sydney to win the RWC for England, Twickenham rock ‘n’ rolled to an altogether different beat as the Rolling Stones became the first musical act to perform there. They were back three years later, although lead singer Mick Jagger did not seem overly delighted to have returned. “We were meant to be at Wembley,” he yelled between songs, bemoaning the slow progress of the national football stadium’s rebuild. Everybody from U2, Rod Stewart and the Police to the $100 million-valued Rihanna have since performed on stage at Twickers. But none will have prompted such a memorable singalong as the Rugby School choir with their rendition of Sweet Caroline at the opening ceremony for Rugby World Cup 2015. RNS tpc/sw/ig Photos: ©World Rugby Museum, Twickenham and World Rugby Museum Blog Twickenham Stadium, London, UK - Professional Sports Venues on Waymarking.com you are not logged in. [log in] Twickenham Stadium, London, UK - Professional Sports Venues on Waymarking.com Welcome to Waymarking.com!

We hope you've been able to find what you are looking for. We would also like to encourage you to take some time to browse some of the other aspects of our site. We recommend viewing our featured waymarks , or perhaps the newest waymarks . You can also create a free membership to track your progress online and share your locations with others. Click here to view the complete waymark directory N 51° 27.336 W 000° 20.466 30U E 684726 N 5703844 Quick Description: Twickenham Stadium is the home of England Rugby Union, and probably the most famous Rugby Union stadium in the world. Location: United Kingdom Date Posted: 3/9/2008 7:46:23 AM Waymark Code: WM3BCF .KML File (Google Earth) Long Description: Twickenham Stadium is the home of England Rugby Union, and probably the most famous Rugby Union stadium in the world.

The land was purchased in 1907 by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), as the purchase was instigated by one Billy Williams, and as the land was a market garden, it gained the nickname "Billy Williams' Cabbage Patch". The Cabbage Patch is now the name of a nearby pub. The England Rugby Union team play their home matches here. In addition the stadium hosts major English domestic Rugby Union matches, and has hosted the Heineken European Cup final on a couple of occasions. It has also hosted a Rugby League international (England vs Australia, 2000) and In 2001 and 2006 the Rugby League Challenge Cup final was held at Twickenham. Those with knowledge of the division of the game of Rugby into Rugby League and Rugby Union , dating back to 1895, will appreciate the significance of these matches being hosted at Twickenham. It also hosts rock concerts from time to time.

The stadium has undergone major modernisation work recently, and is an 82,000 all-seater stadium Twickenham is still sometimes referred to by the rather old-fashioned nickname of "Twickers" or, more commonly these days by England fans, as just "HQ". BBC News | Five Nations | Team homepage: England Monday, February 1, 1999 Published at 16:48 GMT Team homepage: England Twickenham: "Billy Williams' Cabbage Patch" Widely regarded as the home of world rugby, Twickenham is, after Wembley, the second largest sports stadium in England. A five-year rebuilding programme has left the stadium in impressive form, with an all-seater capacity of 75,000. But the enormous concrete and steel structure has divided supporters. While many delight in its awe-inspiring presence and panoramic views, others bemoan the strange lack of atmosphere and long for the days when fans stood side by side in the four old "cow sheds" that perched right on the edge of the pitch.

But while the unique feel of old may have gone, on good days the new stadium can still rise to the occasion - witness England's spin-tingling victory over South Africa last December - and it remains an intimidating venue for visiting teams. Situated in a cosy suburb of south-west London, the stadium began life as a market garden, owned by William Williams. After the Rugby Football Union purchased 10 acres in 1907, the pitch became affectionately known as "Billy Williams' Cabbage Patch". England played their first international at Twickenham in 1910 - and until 1926 they were undefeated at their home ground. The 1999 side may not be as invincible as those teams that dominated Twickenham's early days, but England remain a formidable outfit on home turf and this season's French and Scottish visitors will be playing with the weight of history on their shoulders. Two to follow: Jerry Guscott England's quicksilver centre will this season celebrate the tenth anniversary of his explosive introduction to international rugby, when he scored a hat-trick on his debut against Romania.

But the astonishing fact about Guscott is that with 56 caps to his name, the 33-year-old is arguably playing the best rugby of his career. The Bath star is one of the most stunning attacking three-quarters ever to wear an England shirt, as 24 Test tries - which leave him behind only Rory Underwood in the national standings - prove. Such is his skill with the ball in hand that his defensive qualities are often overlooked, but Guscott is a deceptively tough tackler who relishes a Five Nations tussle. A natural winner, his drop goal clinched the British Lions' sensational series victory over South Africa in 1997. Neil Back For years Neil Back was ignored by England's management team, considered too small to make it in the bullpit of the modern pack. But the Leicester openside flanker, who at 5ft 10ins is dwarfed by many back row opponents, has proved his critics wrong. After two years in the Test wilderness he burst back onto the international scene with a series of eye-catching displays for the Lions in South Africa and has since developed into a key member of the England side.

The kind of player who seems to pop up all over the pitch, the 31-year-old has become a regular on the scoresheet, with two tries in last season's Five Nations and four more in the World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands. Back displays exceptional speed for a forward which, allied with his superb link play, ensures he is now virtually the first name on coach Clive Woodward's team sheet. Squad: Backs Will Greenwood, Phil de Glanville, Mike Catt, Paul Grayson, Alex King, Kyran Bracken, Richard Hill, Matt Dawson, Austin Healey, Jeremy Guscott, David Rees, Matt Perry, Jonathan Wilkinson, Adedayo Adebayo, Tony Underwood. Forwards Graham Rowntree, Richard Cockerill, Mark Regan, Martin Johnson, Neil Back, Garath Archer, Lawrence Dallaglio, Tony Diprose, Tim Rodber, Jason Leonard, Danny Grewcock, Chris Sheasby, Andy Long, Darren Garforth, Phil Vickery, Dorian West, Dean Ryan.

History of Twickenham History of Twickenham The Early Years - Against The Odds In the early 20th Century the popularity of rugby in England was on the up, demonstrated by sold out tests against New Zealand and South Africa at Crystal Palace in 1906. With the cost of renting stadiums unsustainable and Ireland and Wales already owning stadiums, the RFU decided it was time for England Rugby to have a place to call home. So, why is Twickenham affectionately known as The Cabbage Patch? Committee member William Williams and Treasurer William Caill led the search and came across some land for sale in the town of Twickenham. However, there was a problem! The land was being used as a cabbage patch. Could they really build a grand new national stadium, the pride of a nation, over a field of cabbages? Not only this, but with poor transport links into central London and the area being prone to flooding, a shrewd punter would not have laid money on the Stadium hosting over a centuries worth of games. How wrong were they? In 1907, the cabbage patch was purchased for £5,500 with the first stands being constructed the following year.

With the addition of improved transport links and a considerable £30,000 investment, the first ever game hosted at Twickenham was between Richmond and Harlequins on 2nd October 1909. Finally, on 15th January 1910, England had a stadium that they could call their own. 20,000 spectators crammed in to witness England beat Wales 11-6 in the 5 Nations. The team went on to win the tournament and Wales would not defeat England at Twickenham until 1933. In fact, the new stadium sparked a golden era for English rugby, with the team sweeping all before them. The Middle Years - Rugby Stadium to Sheep Grazing Rugby (along with many other events) was interrupted with the breakout of WW1. In 1914 the RFU contacted every England player to enlist. Devastatingly seven of the 1913/14 squad lost their lives in the conflict. This included Ronnie Poulton, whose rugged good looks made him the first pin up boy of rugby. A nation mourned. The stadium though still proved its worth by being used for cattle, sheep and horse grazing.

How times have changed. During the 1920’s, the national team were going from strength to strength. It was time for a redevelopment. The two existing stands were enlarged and a third was created, bolstering the capacity to 43,000. With the extra support cheering on England the team went on to dominate the 5 Nations, winning the Grand Slams in 1921, 1923, 1924 and 1928. In 1927 history was made. A game between England and Wales was broadcast live on BBC radio for the first time from inside the stadium. This is a far cry from the glitz and glamour of the modern Sky Sports coverage, but was the first sign of a more commercial institution to come many years later. During the late thirties a new English star was emerging. Seen in the video below, dubbed the Flying Prince, Prince Alexander Obolensky scored one of the best tries Twickenham has ever seen. Mid-20th Century: More than just a Rugby Stadium Twickenham had already proved its worth as a cracking rugby stadium and a grazing ground, so what next?

During the outbreak of the Second World War it was actually used as a decontamination centre, to be used in the event of an anticipated chemical attack on London. Another tragedy struck in 1944 when the war took yet more victims. A V-2 rocket damaged parts of the stadium and players past and present were killed; including the ‘The Flying Prince’ Obolensky at the age of just 24. The public were beginning to think that every poster boy of English rugby was cursed. During the 70’s and 80’s new Twickenham stars began to emerge; and brought a new wave of Rugby fever to England. Time for more seating... Late 20th Century:Swing Low Sweet Chariot Swing low, sweet chariot. A song that has become synonymous with English rugby; but why? It has, in fact, a very unusual history. The song has origins dating back to the mid-19th Century. It was believed to be a moral boosting tune sang by African slaves in the USA. Paying attention to the lyrics, this does make sense. So how has this song become engulfed in English rugby culture and made its way into Twickenham stadium?

It was all down to England’s winger Chris Oti and a rowdy bunch in the crowd from Benedictine School. The school has a tradition that whenever a player scored a try during their school games they would sing this song. Although trying to get a crowd of 72,000 to join in with them was ambitious, it didn’t stop them from giving it a go. However, in the late 80’s an English try was a rarity, in fact, the Twickenham crowd had not witnessed an English try for 2 years. So you can forgive them for being a little flat at half time in 1988 when England were trailing Ireland 0-3. However, in the second half excitement erupted. Oti scored a hat-trick and England won the game 35-3. The crowd went wild. After Oti’s first try the group from Benedictine School started to sing “Swing Low”. Although it didn’t catch on immediately, by the time he scored his second try surrounding rows began to join in. After Oti completed his hat-trick all four corners of Twickenham burst into song. A new national song was born.

World Cup Fever: A Mixed Bag Twickenham has played host to two world cups, in 1991 and 2015. During the early 1990’s the basis of a strong squad began to form led by household names Will Carling, Jeremy Guscott and the Underwood brothers. This team propelled England to the World Cup final played at Twickenham in 1991. The team narrowly lost 12-6, but left the nation proud. Unfortunately in 2015 the team was drawn in the dreaded ‘Group of Death’ alongside Australia and Wales. The journey through the group stages was never going to be easy. Despite some brave calls and obvious commitment they lost a tight game to Wales and then to Australia. However, there is reason of optimism. With the squad’s average age just 26, the youngest of all competing nations, this year’s RBS 6 Nations is set to be as intriguing as ever. On the 31st October 2015 history was made at the famous old stadium. New Zealand were crowned World Champions, becoming the first ever team to win it three times.

They defeated Australia 34-17 in what has been described by many as the best World Cup final of all time. With record tickets sales, a record TV audiences and a reported 15 million pound profit for the RFU, The Twickenham effects certainly striked again. Modern Twickenham: Simply Stunning Planning permission was granted in 2004 to redevelop the new south stand to create the modern stadium we know and love today. The redevelopment brought the capacity up to a whopping 82,000. The redevelopment also introduced a four star Marriott Hotel comprised of 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 also increased function space. This brought corporate hospitality into the 21st century with excellent, world-class services available.

Question: Which sporting venue was known for a time as Billy Williams' Cabbage Patch ?
Answer: TWICKENHAM