Yes the home of rugby is currently getting a makeover and a capacity increase of over 7,000.

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/index.cfm
Official Site?

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/Stadium_Bowl_Persp.jpg
The Completed Bowl

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/South_East_Persp.jpg
South Stand, East Perspective

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/South_West_Persp.jpg
South Stand, West Perspective

Twickenham's South Stand was demolished on Sunday (17th July) as part of a rebuilding scheme to increase the stadium's capacity to around 82,000.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/4649445.stm

Finally the home of rugby will be completed looks fantastic.

http://www.abakus-scientific.com/Twickenham.JPG
This is looking towards the southstand...which has now beem demolished.

It really did look rubbish.

The finest stadium in England to get EVEN better.

My only gripe is that the capacity should be around 100k. They sell out every match at Twickers so why the heck not?

Finest in England?

That goes to Old Trafford;)

This stadium would have to be one of the ugliest from the outside but simply amazing on the inside. The new south stand completes this stadium and it's facade is very nice.

Twickenham is easily better than Old Trafford. More modern, better location and architecturally superior.

Twickenham is currently 72,000 v. Old trafford 68,000 to cap it off.

The millenium stadium is the home of rugby !

The Millennium stadium is just 5 years old.

Twickenham had its first match in 1910

twicks imo is the best we have at the moment...the atmosphere inside is amazing,,,and yes i agree its one of the ugliest exteriors ever lol but so functional

A video of it being demolished...

http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s98/st77090.htm

also some pics.

Very cool

Twickenham is a big ugly stadium.Having said that I like the look of this new exterior development on the south stand and the stadium as a whole will probably look better as a bowl.

Twickenham is easily better than Old Trafford. More modern, better location and architecturally superior.

Twickenham is currently 72,000 v. Old trafford 68,000 to cap it off.
While I'd agree it's aesthetically better than OT (which will look much better when the corners are filled in), how is it's location better? Road and rail links for Twickenham are very poor, Old Trafford on the other hand is easy to get to, especially by train.

and there's no chance in hell Twickenham is more 'modern' than Old Trafford. OT's a five star stadium, it's a quality modern stadium. May not be aesthetically pleasing for many people but that's not the criteria when judging what's modern or not.

Ugliness is in the eye of the beholder. Personally I think it is gorgeous on the inside and outside.

The location just near Richmond in Surrey is wonderful and just adds to the atmosphere. It is the "real" England for mine. Not what the rest of the place has become in the last 30 years.

If you are getting down to pure aesthetics, then there is nothing in the British Isles as lovely as Lord's Cricket Ground in St. John's Wood(for that matter in most of the world really). It is the real theatre of dreams. Not that phoney Manchester twaddle about OT. If you don't follow United, it is a hell-hole pure and bloody simple.

The Millennium stadium is just 5 years old.

Twickenham had its first match in 1910


Yeah but its built on the site of the Arms park which has had a Grandstand on it since 1885, and was played on for years before that.... whoops twickenhams arse just a little

Maybe arms park was the home of Rugby?

It strange the way people do it.

Ie. Silverstone is the home of motorsport because the first grand prix haw held there...but it wasnt the first car race.

Rugby headquarters is officially Twickenham.

Cardiff Arms or Millenium is the home of the Welsh Rugby Union and they don't mind pimping themselves out for just about anything. Whereas Twickers IS holy ground and only for rugby.

and concerts ;)

I did wonder why twickenham wasnt used when Wembley was down.

Fair point I suppose, but with a stadium like that you've got to show it off and let it reach its full potential. In Concert mode it is fab, especially now theyve got the short hall arena configuration

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/photos/consult2.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/photos/consult1.jpg

:dunno:

Twickenham is the home of rugby in much the same way that Wembley is the home of football, Lords is the home of cricket, Wimbledon is the home of tennis and St Andrew's is the home of golf.

None of them were the locations of the first ever game of their sport but they are each considered to be the most important venues for their particular sport in the country where that sport was conceived.

The redevolpment will make it the only stadium in europe with 3 decent sized tears rapping all the way around along with the Allianz Arena won't it?

Twickenham will be probably the finest, if the not best stadium in the British Isles. Much better than Old Trafford and we shall see if Wembley is as good.

One thing where Twickenham could be improved further is by digging out the ground further to get the spectators seats as close to the action as possible. Presently they have that service road around it which is unnessary. You could up the capacity by about 5,000 also if you did this.

One thing where Twickenham could be improved further is by digging out the ground further to get the spectators seats as close to the action as possible. Presently they have that service road around it which is unnessary. You could up the capacity by about 5,000 also if you did this.

That's something that I've thought myself - I estimate there are about 800 seats around the pitch in the front row (could be off by a couple of hundred either way though!), so your guess sounds about right. The only problem is - if you lower the pitch, suddenly all the viewing angles in all three tiers are changed, and I don't know if this would mean restricted views...

That's something that I've thought myself - I estimate there are about 800 seats around the pitch in the front row (could be off by a couple of hundred either way though!), so your guess sounds about right. The only problem is - if you lower the pitch, suddenly all the viewing angles in all three tiers are changed, and I don't know if this would mean restricted views...

I'd guess probabley not considering that the lower tier is by far the largest of the three and the upper two are relatively steep. Rangers were proposing a similar devolpment at Ibrox last I heard so it may well be cost effective but considering that Twickenham is an international sports venue I wouldnt be supprized if they preffer to have the gap to help with crowd control.

today:

http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/3702/twickenham7lv.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_1205b.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_1205b.jpg

They seem to moving along pretty quickly. Wouldn't have expected them to be past the foundations stage yet.

One thing that irks me about Twickenham is the large gap between the playing area and the stands, which doesn't appear to serve much purpose. If they lowered the pitch like the old Porto stadium they could probably fit in another 5,000 seats, though I don't know if the sightlines from the lower tier would be too badly affected.

well they're not hanging around!

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_030106.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_060106b.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_060106b.jpg

what a difference four days makes!

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_100106a.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_100106b.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_130106.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_160106.jpg

You can see the core of the hotel/shops/whatever starting to rise in the far left of the pics.

any particular reason the stands are so (relatively) far from the pitch?

It would seem to me that they could increase capacity by a further few thousand if they lowered the field.

^^^^^^

Wondered the same thing myself.

The only thing I could put it down to is that they use it for servicing the stadium.

that's pretty much the norm for new stadiums nowadays, isn't it? - a bit of space between the pitch and the stands (though thankfully not of running track width), i'd guess because of:

1) safety, so it creates a perimeter around the pitch for the stewards and the police to patrol, and ensures the players don't rattle into the advertising hoardings when they slide off the pitch.

2) and it creates space for camera crews and servicing equipment, and all that stuff.

@Eden, yeah it is the norm to have a bit of room, but twickenham definately has room there to dig down, theres acres of space, if you look at other new stadiums there is not quite as much of a gap

How ever, in the picture showing the first stage redevelopment, im pretty sure the gap you see between the new stand and the pitch was reduced when the other half of the stadium was rebuilt, they moved the pitch a couple of metres, a bit like what is going to happen at upton part.... i may be wrong tho

http://www.compuserve.co.uk/channels/sport/rugby/five_nations/structure_images/twickenham.jpg

you may be right, the gap seems smaller:

http://www.abakus-scientific.com/Twickenham.JPG

HQ held 60,000 for the 1991 Rugby World Cup, when the new North Stand opened, 68,000 when the new East Stand opened, and 76,000 when the new West Stand opened.

i was in twickenham last year and i found it really impressive. the only hiccup was the south stand. the fact that now its being redeveloped will only improve an already amazing stadium!

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_160106.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_190106.jpg

Personally I didn't think the "gap" between the fans and the pitch was too far. Its about 10 metres all up, the ball still flys into the crowd and you can still see the hits and tackles. Probably the only gripe you could have is that the room of your seat is a little small if you are over 6 foot tall.

Twickenham is one of the better stadiums I've ever been to.

The most impressive thing I think about the place is that it is a rugby ownened and operated ediface. No other sports touch it. But I suppose they had 100 odd years of not having to pay players so they had a few coins lying about.

One thing to mention also. The specators who attend Twickenham games are fantastic, friendly and knowledgable. A great experience to go along whoever your team is.

We look forward to beating up England there more in the future.

Personally I didn't think the "gap" between the fans and the pitch was too far. Its about 10 metres all up, the ball still flys into the crowd and you can still see the hits and tackles. Probably the only gripe you could have is that the room of your seat is a little small if you are over 6 foot tall.

Twickenham is one of the better stadiums I've ever been to.

The most impressive thing I think about the place is that it is a rugby ownened and operated ediface. No other sports touch it. But I suppose they had 100 odd years of not having to pay players so they had a few coins lying about.

One thing to mention also. The specators who attend Twickenham games are fantastic, friendly and knowledgable. A great experience to go along whoever your team is.

We look forward to beating up England there more in the future.


Bob,you say you that its impressive that Twickers is Rugby owned and no other sports touch it,but you have always advocated teams(especially soccer)play in the biggest staduim available.If the local council and RFU allowed it,would you be in favour of the likes of Chelsea(who draw a fair amount of their support from the area of Kinsgton/Richmond/Twickenham
playing thier games at the home of Rugby?

I don't think it will be soon after the new stand is finished there will be talks about cleaning up the rest of their stadium.

http://www.geraldlaing.com/Artworks/1983-Present/PublicWorks/twickenhamall.gif

http://www.stockphotography.co.uk/Upload/Stock/Previews/9578.jpg


http://www.intosport.co.uk/acatalog/Twickenham_01_regular_small.jpg
Looked like some houses were knocked down so this new stand could be built.

don't forget though Bob,there is a dirty great big council estate behind Twickers,as you go towards Isleworth,the area goes downhill(i don't mean it physically goes down a hill)A trip around Kingston shopping reminds you how chav like parts of the area are.Chelsea do have a fair chunk of their supporters from this area,but you are right Bob,the more "refined" residents of the area would make sure Rugby would remain the only sport at Twickers.

The local residents don't even like too much rugby being played at the stadium!

EDIT: Looks as though somebody just remembered to upload yesterday's photo:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_230106.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_240106.jpg

Jolly Goodly.

It's official, they have airlifted out the entire stadium and are currently working on it in Germany!! That's the only logical explanation I can find for the pace at which they are completing this extension. Why couldn't they do this with Wembley???

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_260106.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_300106.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_300106b.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_300106c.jpg

Can't see under stand though...so lord know what dangers may lurk.

I mean...the fans have to walk through that to get to the stand...

wow, the complete bowl of the 1st tier makes the place look already alot slicker (though i think they should put back the media box and screen that was on top of the old south stand corners). As for access, how exactly are fans meant to access the stand, will they use that area in front? (afterall the stand will only hold a few thousand)

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_310106.jpg

Be done by today/tomorrow.

The seats that is.

looks like the fans will have access through temporary paths at the front :)

Ah yes ^^

You can see the steps going up to the stands.


How many seats are in the lower tier to you reckon?

looks like the fans will have access through temporary paths at the front :)

I'm not convinced - they don't look like the safest way of getting 5,000 people to their seats (they're twice as steep as the rake of the stand, half the width of the vomitories, there are no support rails etc.). It could be that they are a requirement of the safety certification, as there was a drop to ground level from the bulk of the tier making it an unsafe escape route.

But then I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again...

I think there will be rails installed before the weekend. 7,500 seats ready for the Wales game.

Ah yes ^^

You can see the steps going up to the stands.


How many seats are in the lower tier to you reckon?

5000 I think

5000 I think


Over 7,500 (http://www.rfu.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/RFUHome.News_Detail/StoryID/12836)

Doesn't look that big to me but the RFU say it's 7,500+

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_310106.jpg

is it just me or are the strips/sections of seating designed in a different, and less consistent pattern in the south stand than they are in the north? maybe a consequence of them giving the south stand seats more elbow-room? compare with this:

http://www.sln.org.uk/WOW/europe/England/images/253.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/Stadium_Bowl_Persp.jpg

is it just me or are the strips/sections of seating designed in a different, and less consistent pattern in the south stand than they are in the north? maybe a consequence of them giving the south stand seats more elbow-room? compare with this:

They're certainly different - for starters the pitch access tunnels in the corners are a lot narrower than the ones at the other end, also the vomitories at the south end of the West and East stands would have been put in the optimal position at the time they were built, when the South Stand was free-standing, so a different number/ was deemed to be required in the new stand, rather than simply creating a mirror image of the 1991 North Stand.

job done! roll on saturday :cheers:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_020206.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_020206b.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_020206c.jpg

job done! roll on saturday :cheers:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_020206.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_020206b.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_020206c.jpg


Less than a month ago there was fook all.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_030106.jpg

Be a bit longer before we see any of the 2nd tier I suspect.


I remember in Sep/Oct/Nov...some of us were all up in arms because they hadn't started doing the work yet....and now look.


.

I know this may seem sad, but seeing all those new seats being installed I was wondering how long it takes to install one? They seem to be taking longer at Wembley compared to Twickenham.

I think they started on the seats on the 15th or 16th and were all done by the 2nd so that about 15 days (assuming a 7 day workweek) for 7,500 seats. 500 a day by my reckoning. Obviouslt we don't know how many men were working on seat installation.

Wembley reputedly has 45,000 installed with presumably 45,000 to go. That should take 90 days.

As soon as the floodlights are done there working days may as well be 16 hours though so the rate may well pick up.

Who are the builders?

Mowlem.

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/Stadium_Bowl_Persp.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_020206b.jpg

if you just cant wait until tomorrow...

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_030206.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_030206b.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_030206c.jpg

Cool.

Picutres of the outside.


I thought that was a TV screen aswell being put up above the stand...and it is.

Some views from the South Stand:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/south_view1_030206.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/south_view1_030206b.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/south_view1_030206c.jpg

is it just me or are the strips/sections of seating designed in a different, and less consistent pattern in the south stand than they are in the north? maybe a consequence of them giving the south stand seats more elbow-room?

It's not just you - this gives a good comparison:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_030206b.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/south_view1_030206.jpg

the two remaining tiers will be ready for the autumn internationals - heard on bbc one just now.

What would be the capacity if the pitch was lowered and additional seats were installed between the pitch and the current stands? A rough estimate?

What would be the capacity if the pitch was lowered and additional seats were installed between the pitch and the current stands? A rough estimate?

Well, I dount you'd be able to add more than 5K to the projected 82,000 so about 87,000. Perhaps the RFU could do better and make it 90,001 to top Wembley.

I doubt that would happen but if it did I'd guess around 5,000 going from what Rangers expect to get from doing it.

Probably less, as Rangers will only gain 3500 seats, and 1500 of those will be from the removal of executive boxes. So only 2000 will be gained from lowering the pitch. Having said that, it all depends on how far you lower the pitch and how big the gap is between the stands and the pitch. The Ibrox stands are already close to the pitch, so there isn't much room for more seats. At Twickenham the gap is much bigger, so maybe you would get 4-5000 seats.

So that was a pointless post from me!!

What would be the capacity if the pitch was lowered and additional seats were installed between the pitch and the current stands? A rough estimate?

I rememebr in 1991 when the RFU were awash with cash there was a newspaper article proposing adding a tier around the 3 sections bringing Twickers to 120,000. Pie in the Sky apparently. I wish I had the picture to post but sadly it's long gone.

5000 sounds very likely. Any pics of the new stand in use? :)

the two remaining tiers will be ready for the autumn internationals - heard on bbc one just now.

I just watched yesterday's Grandstand (was playing a game yesterday) and heard John Inverdale say that too - I know the whole development (including hotel etc.) will be finished in "mid 2007", but I suppose it's feasible that all the seating will be available by November this year...

I just watched yesterday's Grandstand (was playing a game yesterday) and heard John Inverdale say that too - I know the whole development (including hotel etc.) will be finished in "mid 2007", but I suppose it's feasible that all the seating will be available by November this year...

Yeah, that's been the plan from the start. I don't know what price tickets are for 6N games but the rush to get teir one finished means that about £100x5,000 meant it was worth the overtime.

I can't say I care much about the hotel/conference facilites. It'll be great to see a full house for the autumn games.

It should be a candidate to host the 2007 European Cup final, though I think Paris should get the chance first. Ideally, this should be the upcoming sequence:

2006 Millennium Stadium
2007 Stade de France
2008 Twickenham
2009 Murrayfield
2010 Lansdowne Road

When is construction work gonna start on the second tier?

:cheers:

When is construction work gonna start on the second tier?

It's already underway:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_030206c.jpg

South Stand, East Perspective

fresh!

I'm glad to see work has already started on the second tier, but what are they gonna do when the England team play at Twickenham? They managed to get the first tier ready for the match aganst Wales, but I don't think they can do the same with the second tier before the next match!

:cheers:

Given that the next match is against Ireland on 18 March, I don't think so either!

It is believed that the second and third tiers will be ready for the Autumn internationals, the first of which will be on the first or second Saturday in November. In between now and then there is the Powergen Cup Final on 9 April (if Bath beat Llanelli on 4 March I'll be going, so watch this space for progress photos :)), the Guinness Premiership Final on 27 May, and various schools and universities finals, the Army v Navy game, the London Sevens, Middlesex Sevens, and London Double-Header.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_150206.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/south_view1_150206.jpg

Interesting to note that they've taken away the steps from the front of the stand - presumably they're going to add the two rows of seating and wheelchair spaces that the other three stands have in time for the Ireland match on 18 March...

It's progressing nicely, they're building it a lot quicker then I would have thought, especially when you consider how long most thing take to build in Britain... ;)

:cheers:

I read in the Sunday Times today that 7,600 people were sitting in the South Stand in the England v Wales match, and that an extra 800 spaces will be available for the Ireland match next month.

Where are those seats going to come from?

From a seat manufacturer, presumably :) If you mean where will they be located, they're going to be directly in front of the stand - if you look back through this thread you can see that the other three stands have two rows of seating in front of the concrete wall directly in front of the vomitories...

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_210206.jpg

Durbsboi.... This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^....will become....

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/Stadium_Bowl_Persp.jpg

Won't that big TV screen at the top of that stand block some people's view? Well, anyway, its a kick-ass stadium, love the look of how its gonna be with the extension completed! England seems to be all about stadiums at the moment, what with Wembley, Twikenham extension, Old Trafford extension, Arsenal's new Emirates stadium, Liverpool looking to build a new stadium of their own, Manchester and Birmingham are rumoured to be getting new multi-purpose stadiums...plus all the skyscrapers and mid-rises England's big cities, especiallt London, are getting, we are in a boom period wouldn't ya say? :D

:cheers:

Does anyone know how many seats the stadium will have for general sale once it is completed?

Wembley will only have 71,500k as I managed to find out that the corporate seats total 18,500. I never realised but there will be some blocks on the lower tier as well, adjacent to the Royal box.

I reckon because of that, once Twickenham is completed, it will be deserving of the largest capacity stadia in the UK.

The RFU sold a lot of ten year debentures to help fund the new stands - I have no idea how many though.

Durbsboi.... This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^....will become....

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/Stadium_Bowl_Persp.jpg

Thanx for clearing that up for me EddyK, looks really good.

Won't that big TV screen at the top of that stand block some people's view?
:cheers:

no it should be part of the stand...like ellis park in joburg SA, other wise they would have hung it on the roof like Sta denis in Paris.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_270206.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/east_view1_270206b.jpg

When will the next tier be ready?

Does anyone know how many seats the stadium will have for general sale once it is completed?

Wembley will only have 71,500k as I managed to find out that the corporate seats total 18,500. I never realised but there will be some blocks on the lower tier as well, adjacent to the Royal box.

I reckon because of that, once Twickenham is completed, it will be deserving of the largest capacity stadia in the UK.

I dont think its 18,000 corporate seats at Wembley. That figure includes club seats doesnt it, but though there will no doubt be some corporate guests who dont care much about the game others do as do those who buy expensive club seats.

Its still the United Kingdom and not United Socialist Utopia. Wealthy people can atually follow sports.

I rememebr in 1991 when the RFU were awash with cash there was a newspaper article proposing adding a tier around the 3 sections bringing Twickers to 120,000. Pie in the Sky apparently. I wish I had the picture to post but sadly it's long gone.

Which "3 sections"? You mean reaching 120,000 by adding another tier to the 3 big sides and then without developing the south stand?

I am sure they dont have any such plans, even in the long term, or they would have made the current development bigger as well.

Would be amazing though, as 120-130,000 isnt beyond what they could fill and with the quite flat lower tier it does seem to be built in a way where its possible to go higher whithout getting ridiculous.

Perhaps they should just sell Wembley to Chelsea and use the money to expand Twickenham to 130,000 as a football + rugby national stadium.

(and yes I do know thats not going to happen)

Which "3 sections"? You mean reaching 120,000 by adding another tier to the 3 big sides and then without developing the south stand?

I am sure they dont have any such plans, even in the long term, or they would have made the current development bigger as well.

Would be amazing though, as 120-130,000 isnt beyond what they could fill and with the quite flat lower tier it does seem to be built in a way where its possible to go higher whithout getting ridiculous.

Perhaps they should just sell Wembley to Chelsea and use the money to expand Twickenham to 130,000 as a football + rugby national stadium.

(and yes I do know thats not going to happen)

Yeah, thats how I remember it. Perhaps it included the South stand too. Would have been great but building up that high would probably not make financial sense.

I can vaguely remember seeing the artists impression in the Telegraph but it was too long ago for me to be much more specific than remembering the number of 120,000.

Has anyone got any pics of how the construction work is coming along??? A few weeks ago the thread was overloaded with updated photos, and now it seems to have pittered out a bit...what's goin on??

Looking good.

To those who say it looks ugly on the outside, i say...

unlike women, all that matters with stadiums is whats on the inside.

Some 6 March Pics

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/march_south1.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/march_south5.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/march_south6.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/twickenham/index.cfm

thanx for the updates Madman

Yer, nice pics there Madman! Have you got any from the inside of the stadium, looking at the new stand?

well they're from the RFU so you'll have to ask them! ;) I imagine the next update or the one after will have some decent views from within the stadium?...

After a lengthy wait, the RFU website has finally updated its webcam pictures from Twickenham. It's strange that they have only included one day from the whole of March (the 16th) to show the progress.

Anyway, the South stand development as it is today, 4th April:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april04_1.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april04_2.jpg

:cheers:

Much done in a month.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april04_2.jpg




Wow, i knew of the facilites, such as the hotel and conference centre, they were going to include in the South Stand but it looks mighty deep there, in fact huge!

^^ Yer, I was thinking that!

:cheers:

No new construction photos on the website, but there's an animation showing what it will look like:

http://www.rfu.com/debentures/animation_index.cfm

Good find.

There is also an interactive view finder aswell...like on the Wembley site.

Twickenham is still boring, and tbh the three existing stands aren't mind blowing in design, so I have no reason to believe the fourth one will be

That's a great animation video on the RU site, thanks for posting it Charlie! I like how they have added a proper exterior, instead of just building a stand, it gives the whole stadium greater aesthetics imo. Hated the voice on that video though!

:cheers:

It's not so much a proper exterior as a hotel (and gym, and dance studio, and offices...). Some rooms will have a view of the pitch.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april18_1.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april18_2.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april18_3.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april18_4.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april18_5.jpg

^^ Lookin good! I like the third image down on your post, gives a good perspective of how the whole thing is going to look.

:cheers:

It looks as though they've started dismantling the lower parts of the screen ends prior to fitting the second tier...

To be honest with you, I've never seen stadium tiers being built before, so it's hard for me to know exactly what's going on in most of those pics, but dam if it don't look impressive!

:cheers:

the only downside is that Twickenham isnt gonna look unique other wise is amazing

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april18_3.jpg
I didn't realize there was such a large gap between the stands and the touchline's and that it extended all around. Still an impressive stadium though . . . on the inside which is all that matters really.

^^ yep very true, when people talk bout Benfica's da luz stadium they don't mention the ugly exterior but the fantastic interior.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april25_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april25_02.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april25_03.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/april25_04.jpg

In other news, yesterday Twickenham was announced as the venue for next year's Heineken Cup Final.

It's coming along nicely!

:cheers:

To be honest, I don't think there is really anything remarkable about Twickenham. No retractable seating. No Fully enclosed roof. It will just be an extremely well built, beautiful showcase for Rugby Union Football and congratulations to the RFU for shaping it into what it will be.

Its the finest stadium in England bar none at the moment.

^^ I'd say Wembley and Emirates, once they are fully built, will be better then Twickers. Even Twickers though was lacking aesthetics before this construction with that God awful South stand, but with the full bowl look and a development of the outside entrance to the stadium, it is more then a mtach for most stadiums in Europe!

:cheers:

Its the finest stadium in England bar none at the moment.

Its large i grant you but at the moment there are many finer, in regards to asthetics and facilities, stadiums in England.

Update of construction:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may5_4.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may5_3.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may5_2.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may5_1.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may5_2.jpg

:cheers:

You missed one:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may5_5.jpg

Getting better everyday :cheers:

Does anyone know the expected date (roughly) of completion?

All seats will be in use for the Autumn internationals in November, though the hotel development etc. won't be completed until some time next year.

slightly off topic, but that grass looks bloody perfect, a forward's dream!

slightly off topic, but that grass looks bloody perfect, a forward's dream!
Yer, you're right actually. I was so busy focused on the stadium construction that I paid no attension to the pitch. It is in prime condition! But-and correct me if I'm wrong here-Twickers isn't actually used by a rugby club, only for national and competition final matches, so I imagine it doesn't get used an awful lot...which is why the pitch looks superb.

:cheers:

Yer, you're right actually. I was so busy focused on the stadium construction that I paid no attension to the pitch. It is in prime condition! But-and correct me if I'm wrong here-Twickers isn't actually used by a rugby club, only for national and competition final matches, so I imagine it doesn't get used an awful lot...which is why the pitch looks superb.

:cheers:

not only that but also the fact that the south stand was missing for a long period meaning lots of air could get to the pitch equaling a fantastic pitch, apparently the best pitch twickenham has ever seen. This is one of the reasons why highbury has (had) such a great pitch (it hasnt been relaid since the 80's i think) is due to the open corners the stadium has (had)

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/west_view1_0905.jpg

not only that but also the fact that the south stand was missing for a long period meaning lots of air could get to the pitch equaling a fantastic pitch, apparently the best pitch twickenham has ever seen. This is one of the reasons why highbury has (had) such a great pitch (it hasnt been relaid since the 80's i think) is due to the open corners the stadium has (had)

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/west_view1_0905.jpg

Also the fact that the redeveloped stand is the south stand, meaning lots of direct sunlight will be reaching the grass.

so england is allowed to organise the fa cup final in a rugby stadium in WALES, but this fine rugby ground is apparantly a NO GO AREA for english football? as a dutchman, i can't figure this one out..

so england is allowed to organise the fa cup final in a rugby stadium in WALES, but this fine rugby ground is apparantly a NO GO AREA for english football? as a dutchman, i can't figure this one out..

While the Millenium was being built the FA allowed the Welsh to play Union games at Wembley. Plus lent them a huge wad of cash so the Welsh are kind of obliged to let us use their place.

Personally I can't say I liked the decision but the FA really wanted to avoid playing the cup final at a club ground and Twickers was a no go.

so england is allowed to organise the fa cup final in a rugby stadium in WALES, but this fine rugby ground is apparantly a NO GO AREA for english football? as a dutchman, i can't figure this one out..


because local residents won't allow it.

^^^^^^^^

It's "sacred ground". They won't allow soccer anywhere near the place. Even in the Borough of Richmond the game of soccer is frowned upon.

Great place to live down in that part of London, although it is actually Surrey in historical records.

^^^^^^^^

It's "sacred ground". They won't allow soccer anywhere near the place. Even in the Borough of Richmond the game of soccer is frowned upon.

Great place to live down in that part of London, although it is actually Surrey in historical records.


best part of London

Just wanted to say that I really like the green colour of the seats :)

Always liked to watch the rugbymatches on the BBC when I bumbed in to it. Rugby is not my sport (because I do not know a lot about it, but I guess with most of sports when it is played well, it is nice to see) Always i was surprised about the imance stadium for rugby. magniffecent to hear that they are going to 'finish' it. Because the south stand was the only thing which was lacking. Great work!!!

It will be bigger the Bernabeu... pfff which is a fantastic stadium also by the way.

I've heard that the attendance record for the Six Nations will be broken when England play their first game at the expanded Twickenham in the Six Nations next year. It's going to look very impressive.

Didn't they get over 100,000 at Twickenham back in the 1980s before the refit?

Didn't they get over 100,000 at Twickenham back in the 1980s before the refit?

Maybe, but those were the Five Nations years.

Didn't they get over 100,000 at Twickenham back in the 1980s before the refit?

Yeah, I think Murrayfield has managed 100+ as well but like victory said, the record will be for 6 Nations.

No but Murrayfield has held 107,000

Twickenham has never had a six-figure crowd - 82,000 will be the highest capacity it's ever had.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may11_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may11_02.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may11_03.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may11_04.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/may11_06.jpg

Not a Rugby fan but visited Twickers for a first time yesterday. I took some pics (Back of Steve Backley`s head - Javelin champ- is in one of the pics).

Outside of the ground resembled a sewage works - grey concrete,pipes, and stark.
Within the stands, lack of food outlets/toliets was apparent.Very cluttered design.

Inside the stadium, smaller than seen on t.v bland, and presented a value for money design. I would rate it 6/10. The stadium will improve once the end is completed. Currently lacks soul.DSCF4095

Not a Rugby fan but visited Twickers for a first time yesterday. I took some pics (Back of Steve Backley`s head - Javelin champ- is in one of the pics).

Outside of the ground resembled a sewage works - grey concrete,pipes, and stark.
Within the stands, lack of food outlets/toliets was apparent.Very cluttered design.

Inside the stadium, smaller than seen on t.v bland, and presented a value for money design. I would rate it 6/10. The stadium will improve once the end is completed. Currently lacks soul.DSCF4095

of course its gonna feel souless when you go when the stadium is half full, go during a full england game, like the 6 nations. i just wonder what it could be like if they allowed football to be played there

I've heard that the attendance record for the Six Nations will be broken when England play their first game at the expanded Twickenham in the Six Nations next year. It's going to look very impressive.

It all really depends on the specifics. Remember that Ireland are playing at Croke Park this year, which also has a capacity of about 82,000.

Do you feel the same way about Old Trafford?

well, I don't like the design of the new corners, I never have, and I can't deny the fact that the stadium would look better if it were completely finished. But I still don't think the Main Stand is anywhere near as bad as you and your idiotic views make it out to be. Personally I also think Ibrox looks unfinished and clumsy. But it would look horrible if all four stands were alike. I'd imagine the Main Stand would be replaced with a Broomloan/Copland or whatever theyre called clone, and quite frankly they're just boring, ugly boxes

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june01_3.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june01_2.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june01_5.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june01_4.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june01_1.jpg

Seems like they've been working on that 1 tier for years. Get a move on!

No offence to anybody but this is finally starting to look like a regular Us football (by our standards) stadium. IE stands all the way around and a uniform level. Before anyone gets PISSED off I am not american I am Canadian! We have nothing this good in our WHOLE country. Wish we did! Saying that I love the Canadian Football League! If nothing else we have a sport that is unique to Canada. We are the only ones to play this game with our rules, and to play in stadiums as unique as we have.
Hopefully not to many people are pissed off!

i just would love to see a football match being played there

^^Never!!!!!!!

c'mon just one match....

twickers should've been used to host the FA cup final IMO

^^It would have been great if it had.

c'mon just one match....

twickers should've been used to host the FA cup final IMO

Beyond the politics I'd guess the Millenium stadium offered the FA/football league a much better deal to host games as they needed the cash more. I'd say the only way Twickenham is going to see football is if we get the WC and FIFA let the FA use it aswell as Wembley and Emirates.

3 stadia in one city? would be great though

Big update from the official website, sorry for the picture overload, but they released all these in one go:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june14_02.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june14_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june14_04.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june14_03.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june14_05.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_02.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_04.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_03.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_06.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_05.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_09.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_07.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_12.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_11.jpg

:cheers:

Big update from the official website, sorry for the picture overload, but they released all these in one go:

<snip>

Well spotted - I had a look this afternoon and they were still on 1 June.

You missed one again though (the RFU neglected to put its thumbnail up):

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/june21_08.jpg

Also note how the stage for the Eagles concert on 17 June is completely gone and the pitch has been dressed by 21 June :)

damn that is an impresive stadium,

does it have food courts and other things, or just stairs and walk ways?

damn that is an impresive stadium,

does it have food courts and other things, or just stairs and walk ways?

It does have one or two food outlets, yes:

North Stand

Level 1, NW Corner Guinness Black Stuff Bar
Level 1, NE Corner Guinness Full Black Bar
North Tryline Restaurant
River Suites
Level 2, NW Corner Ruck and Maul Bar
Brunch & Take
Upper Crust, Hot Dogs and Pizzaman
Level 3 Oblensky's Restaurant
Level 4 Business Debenture Bar
Hot Dogs & Proper Cornish Pasties
Level 5 Hot Dogs
Car Park Beefburgers, Fish & Chips

East Stand

Level 1, NW Corner Tetley's Smoothflow Bar
Invincibles Restaurant
The Front Lawns
St Georges Suite
Level 2, SE Corner Line-Out Bar
Line-Out Fast Food
Proper Cornish Pasties, Hot Dogs, Soup, Soft Drinks and Hot Beverages
NE Corner Scrum Bar
Corner Flag
Upper Crust, Hot Dogs and Pizzaman
Level 3 Wakefield's Restaurant
Level 4 Guinness Toucan Bar
Jamesons Hot Irish Bar
Bacon Rolls, Hot Dogs & Proper Cornish Pasties
Level 5 Proper Cornish Pasties and Hot Dogs.

West Stand

Level 1, NW Corner Tetley's Cast Bar
Level 2, SW Corner Chariots of Fire Bar
Level 4 Canned Bar
Proper Cornish Pasties & Beefburgers
Level 5 Proper Cornish Pasties & Hot Dogs
Car Park - The Village Tetley's Bar
Guinness Bar
Beefburgers, Fish & Chips and Specialist Sausages
And - The Scrummery, Twickenham Stadium’s Official Onsite Public Cafe/Bar.

Plus, whatever facilities are in the South Stand when it opens...

Just a thought, does anybody have any good photos of the old Twickers just to see the incredible transformation of the place over the last 25 years?

^^ there are pics on this thread, just go through the pages again

3 stadia in one city? would be great though

Definitely. More than half of the population of England lives in the South, but if only 2 stadiums are allowed in London 9 or 10 out of 12 will be in the Midlands or the North.

You're right there are plenty of older pics of the newish Twickers but none of the complete older version with four sides of wooden stands etc.

I could only find one pic which has one of the original stands in it.

Would of been good to compare the complete old with the almost complete new.

the reason twickers couldnt host the fa cup final is that the rfu wouldnt allow it. this all stems back to when twickers was being renovated in the past, and the fa wouldnt allow the england rugby team to play at wembley

the RFU could've made a hell of alot of money with the FA cup

the RFU could've made a hell of alot of money with the FA cup
But I'm sure it was much more satisfying to pass up the cash just to spite the eejits at the FA

the reason twickers couldnt host the fa cup final is that the rfu wouldnt allow it. this all stems back to when twickers was being renovated in the past, and the fa wouldnt allow the england rugby team to play at wembley

What are you talking about? When the East Stand was being rebuilt in 1992, England played their autumn international against Canada at Wembley - I should know, I was there!

When the Millenium Stadium was being built, didn't Wales have Wembley as their 'home' ground? I'm sure during that period England played them 'away' at the Twin Towers.

Yes, while the Millennium Stadium was under construction, Wales played six games at Wembley:

Nov 1997 v New Zealand
Mar 1998 v Scotland
Apr 1998 v France
Nov 1998 v South Africa
Feb 1999 v Ireland
Apr 1999 v England

Australia are the only major side not to have played at the famous old ground.

The FA didn't control who used and who didn't use Wembley did they? Considering they weren't the owners of the stadium I find it hard to believe that they stopped England playing RU games there at any time. I just find the statement by jake999 a bit hard to swallow to be honest.

well i might be wrong that is what was told to me by a coach of my rugby team at the time of last years fa cup final

I think you (and the coach) might be wrong jake although I will have to look into it. I just can't see why the FA would have any veto powers on who used Wembley Stadium.

The coach is definitely wrong - as HoldenV8 correctly says, the old Wembley Stadium was owned by Wembley Stadium plc and the FA rented it for FA Cup finals and England internationals, and as I pointed out earlier, the only time the RFU "needed" an alternative location was back in 1992 when the East Stand was being rebuilt. In October capacity would have been down to around 42-45,000, so they played Canada at Wembley, but a month later the lower tier was open in time for the South Africa game so with capacity back up to around 55,000 they preferred to play at home. Capacity hasn't been below that mark since, so there's been no need to play elsewhere.

In the current climate I seriously doubt tension between soccer and rubgy has much of an effect on such things. Doesnt Twickenham have a limate on the number of events per year? perhaps theres just more money to be made by hosting concerts rather than using them up on the FA cup final and playoff's.

Twix & ham, yuk bad combination, so hows this place going? over shadowed by Wemberly I'd guess.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_02.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_03.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_04.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_05.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_06.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_07.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_08.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_09.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_10.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_11.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_12.jpg

IMO the best stadium in the UK (including new Wembley) :cheers:

IMO the best stadium in the UK (including new Wembley) :cheers:

Anything could beat Wembley

Anything could beat Wembley

I can assure you that even the new Twickers will be not a patch on the new Wembley:

1. Twickers from the outside is ugly as sin. It's a hideous, horribly stained, concrete mess.

2. In terms of capacity it is smaller.

3. In terms of footprint, it is smaller.

4. In terms of facilities, it does not begin to compare to Wembley.

Twickers will be a very good stadium when finished. Unrecognisable from the Twickers of fifteen or twenty years ago. But sorry....better than Wembley?

No way, Jose.

I can assure you that even the new Twickers will be not a patch on the new Wembley:

1. Twickers from the outside is ugly as sin. It's a hideous, horribly stained, concrete mess.

in truth, it's not much nicer on the inside.

Sure it's quite a large stadium, but it's a bland, concrete mess that looks cheap to be honest

Update:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_11.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_12.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_09.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_10.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_07.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_08.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_05.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_06.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_03.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_04.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july13_02.jpg

:cheers:

looking gud, are those steel girders that will hold the stands?

No more than a functional staduim,thats it.Nothing else to commend it
vastly inferior to Cardiff,Twickers is a staduim built,up til now,on a budget,and it shows

Why inferior to Cardiff? I've sat in every tier at Twickenham, and none had a viewing angle as bad as I experienced in the middle of the bottom tier at the Millennium Stadium - every time play was close to the nearest touchline but at the other end of the pitch, everybody stood up as they couldn't see what was happening... Both look pretty hideously ugly from the outside and have functional not stylish concourses - at least Twickenham won't have one end worse than the rest of the stadium by year's end...

and the new end will actually look quite awesome from the outside too

Why inferior to Cardiff? I've sat in every tier at Twickenham, and none had a viewing angle as bad as I experienced in the middle of the bottom tier at the Millennium Stadium - every time play was close to the nearest touchline but at the other end of the pitch, everybody stood up as they couldn't see what was happening... Both look pretty hideously ugly from the outside and have functional not stylish concourses - at least Twickenham won't have one end worse than the rest of the stadium by year's end...

I don't think the end is a big problem for the millenium stadium but I'd have to agree on the angle of the lowest tear isnt ideal plus the second tear overhangs a good few rows of seats.

Why inferior to Cardiff? I've sat in every tier at Twickenham, and none had a viewing angle as bad as I experienced in the middle of the bottom tier at the Millennium Stadium - every time play was close to the nearest touchline but at the other end of the pitch, everybody stood up as they couldn't see what was happening... Both look pretty hideously ugly from the outside and have functional not stylish concourses - at least Twickenham won't have one end worse than the rest of the stadium by year's end...


i take your point about the lower tier at Cardiff,but the rest of the staduim offers fantastic views.The stands are a lot closer to the pitch,its all enclosed,it has a sliding roof,looks better from the outside,the concourses are not open to the elements like Twickers,and overall,it has a more intimate feel.Add the giant tv screens,and its promimity to Cardiff city centre,is why i think Cardiff is a much more pleasurable experience than going to Twickers

i take your point about the lower tier at Cardiff,but the rest of the staduim offers fantastic views.The stands are a lot closer to the pitch,its all enclosed,it has a sliding roof,looks better from the outside,the concourses are not open to the elements like Twickers,and overall,it has a more intimate feel.Add the giant tv screens,and its promimity to Cardiff city centre,is why i think Cardiff is a much more pleasurable experience than going to Twickers

I was hugely impressed with the Millennium when I went to the Carling Cup Final this year - my first visit. It's about 10 years since I went to Twickenham and I have to say I found it very impressive too. Yes it looks like a mecchano set from the outside and it may be a little basic in the concourse but the scale of the bowl has always been its most striking feature. I like the almost open-plan style of the concourses in Cardiff but I'm sure that its overall appeal is boosted hugely by the closing roof, which gives it a more intimate indoor arena-type feel.

In the end you can prefer either, it's a personal choice.

I'm sure the completed Twickenham will be mightily impressive, not least externally in the case of the new South Stand. I'm sure that once fully closed, the bowl will become an even more striking aspect of the finished ground.

On an unrelated note, it's nice to see that an Ainscough crane (based about a mile from me, here in Rugby League territory) is being used to help with the developments to Rugby Union's "HQ"!

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_02.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_03.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_04.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_05.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_06.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_07.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_08.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_09.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_10.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_11.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july28_12.jpg

looking good as usual

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_02.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_03.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_04.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_05.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_06.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_07.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_08.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_09.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_10.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_11.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_12.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august08_13.jpg

I'll try and get some pictures when I go for the Challenge Cup Final, still don't like the ground though

http://i2.tinypic.com/2426ck8.jpg

Can someone explain what the inside is going to look like when it's completed? I thought it was going to complete the bowl, but in the middle of the new stand (circled) the supports don't go back as far as they do at the sides / other stands. Originally I thought that was just the way it was being built, but since the terracing is starting to go on now, I don't think it is. What's the plan for this area?

http://i2.tinypic.com/2426ck8.jpg

Can someone explain what the inside is going to look like when it's completed? I thought it was going to complete the bowl, but in the middle of the new stand (circled) the supports don't go back as far as they do at the sides / other stands. Originally I thought that was just the way it was being built, but since the terracing is starting to go on now, I don't think it is. What's the plan for this area?

That is just the way it's being built - if you look at an earlier photo:

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/july06_01.jpg

...you can see that the lower halves of the supports go in first, followed by the upper halves.

this is a link to a video that will show everything you need to know :)

http://www.rfu.com/debentures/animation_index.cfm

What are you stupid?


Not so sure 'stupid' does him justice?


More like imbecillic (Scottish probably) troll, would be more appropriate.

That is just the way it's being built - if you look at an earlier photo you can see that the lower halves of the supports go in first, followed by the upper halves.

Ahhh. Missed that. Cheers.

Looks like they using precast slabs for the stands

i cant wait to see the stadium when its finished.

I can

Did anyone watch the Sevens at Twickers on Sky this afternoon?

I flicked over at half-time of the United/Seville game to get a look at the latest but I couldn't see anything different from the last set of images posted.

I wouldn't imagine there would be much - it's only been, what? Four days since the last set of pictures? And there'd probably be quite a bit of clean up / health and safey to be done. I didn't see the matches, but especially so if any of the seats in the bottom bowl at the south end were in use.

They were empty. I presume closed off by the T2/3 works above.

The place was hardly sould out, so it would have made more sense to just restrict the whole area rather than spending time and money trying to get a safety certificate for that section.

It's going to be impressive. My memory of being at Twickenham is that it feels much bigger when you're there than you ever expect it to be from the TV pictures.

Did anyone watch the Sevens at Twickers on Sky this afternoon?

I flicked over at half-time of the United/Seville game to get a look at the latest but I couldn't see anything different from the last set of images posted.

You can't have looked very closely like I did then :) In the 8 August images you can only see two vomitories on the eastern side of the second tier (on the left as it appears in the photos). On TV you could see three, so a fair amount of concrete section has been added...

You can't have looked very closely like I did then :) In the 8 August images you can only see two vomitories on the eastern side of the second tier (on the left as it appears in the photos). On TV you could see three, so a fair amount of concrete section has been added...

Guilty as charged, your honour!

I only had a quick flick, as I said. Trying to spot minor stadium details when the director insist on following the action on the field isn't that easy!

I caught some of the sevens on the news not all that long ago. The more I see of the completion of Twickers, the more I wish the IRFU would have done something decent at Lansdowne. Regardless of the exterior, 82,000 people at a rugby game is something to behold.

The irony is that for a couple of years, the IRFU will probably get exactly that, an 82k capacity - at Croke Park.

...and then they'll have to move back.

That's exactly my problem with the new Lansdowne Road. Especially in the 2007 season when Ireland will have the "big two" as their home games (England and France), there will easily be enough demand to fill 82,000 seats at Croke Park, even given current IRFU ticketing restrictions (i.e. distributed through the rugby clubs of Ireland and not put on general sale). While I could see general sale for the 2008 season, especially for the game against Italy, I can still see the place being full or very close to full. Basically, through the IRFU's ticketing method, it is imposible to actually know what the demand for international tickets actually is.

Therefore, given the latest set of plans that increases capacity by somewhere between a whopping 1,000 and an amazing 6,000, is ridiculous. If they are intent on staying on the Lansdowne Site (not sure that it's such a good idea anyway, given various height restrictions, the rich old complainers at the north end of the ground, the lack of decent parking facilities around the place and so on), they should have been looking to a capacity of at least 65,000. Not somewhere between 50,000 and 55,000. All they are doing, as far as I can see, by staying in Beersbridge, is putting unnecessary transport and capacity restrictions on a stadium that is cost somewhere in the region of 300 million Euro. For that money, a much better stadium with much better transport links could have been built and still be ameanable to Dublin City centre.

Compare the capacities of the 5 "main" 6 Nations teams (I'll ignore Italy really on historical popularity grounds);

Twickenham - 82,000
Stade de France - 80,000
Millenium Stadium - 74,000
Murrayfield - 67,500
Lansdowne Road - 50 - 55,000

That's a huge gap and, given the expenditure of 300m euro, the IRFU / FAI should be looking for at least 65,000 seats and, preferably, something closer to 70 - 75,000. In that sense, while the exterior of Twickers may leave something to be desired, I would take it over the new Lansdowne Road any day. Especially as its sole use is rugby, it has become something mightily impressive that, really, I'd say only Murrayfield, in rugby terms, tops.

I think Ireland wins the award for having an even worse planning attitude to stadiums than even the UK. Lansdowne Road is pretty bad for parking and I'm sure the tiny DART station gets easily overwhelmed on a 6-nations matchday, but it's in a pretty leafy suburb with a fair amount of available space around the area.

Croke Park, as far as I can remember is stuck in the middle of a council housing estate, which reminded me of the old Maine Road's Moss Side location. I haven't actually been to an event there, I was in North Dublin once, looking for a chip shop, as I remember and suddenly saw this giant stadium rising out of the end of the street I was driving past. With a greater capacity and a less appropriate location, it can only be worse for parking and accessibility.

I'd agree to that. I think the difference is that there is very plausible scope to improve transportation links to Croker that is not available to Lansdowne Road - Rather than a leafy suburb, it is more in the embassy belt around the city, so the only people that can afford to live there are the sort that oppose everything, including improved public transportation.

Honestly, just like Belfast, I think a new stadium in Dublin should be built in the old docklands areas - in Belfast, the city centre, at the North-East corner, runs directly into the docklands, and in Dublin, they are still easily accessible. The fact that there seems major reconstruction plans for both sets of docklands over the coming decade can only advance that point. A new stadium would provide the basis for excellent transportation infrastructure, bring people towards the business that will be attempted to be built up in these areas and . In both cases, it seems a much more logical way to do these things and would be much more cost effective, especially in Dublin - given property values and the size of the Lansdowne Road site, including the pitches to the rear of the East Stand, that land is practually priceless.

The docklands in both Belfast and Dublin are declining rapidly and offer an excellent chance for a solid redevlopment plan that can only benefit both cities. A stadium in either of those areas would be a fantastic thing. Such seems the town planning in Belfast and Dublin that such things are never fully realised. Historically, both cities have truely fucked themselves over with hideously poor planning.

This has got a long way from Twickers.

True and apologies to all for going off-topic. To attempt to crowbar some relevance back into the thread, I'd say that Twickenham is scarcely much better, rising as it does out of some endless Harry Potter-type suburbian setting. This, not the rabid rugby-only attitude of the RFU is the true reason why 'HQ' remains so lightly used and never by football. I think the Rolling Stones played it a year or two ago and there was so much lobbying beforehand and moaning about it thereafter by all the neighbours, I'd be surprised if another concert was held there.

It's a good point that the more affluent and (small 'c') conservative the setting, the harder it is to get approval for anything resembling progress. It's very true to say that Lansdowne is surrounded by embassies (it's very curious - I once parked in a quiet cul-de-sac near the ground and found the nice semi-detached I'd parked in front of was the Argentine embassy or something, flying the flag on what would otherwise have been the front garden). While Twickers doesn't have that, being too far away from central London, I'm sure it's surrounded by more than its fair share of NIMBY's.

Still, they got the expansion planning through, so fair play to the RFU!

I can't believe I beat CharlieP to this, but here are the latest images from the Twickenham South Stand Cam....

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_01.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_02.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_03.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_04.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_05.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_06.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_07.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_08.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_09.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_10.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_11.jpg

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_12.jpg


Oh - and the Rolling Stones are playing there again later this month. So much for my earlier prediction!

Nice to see that it's finally beginning to take shape. Is there any time line for when work proper is going to begin on the top tier? I'm also interested to see how well the gap between the current structure and the new structure will actually be made.

On the earlier point, I've always believed that stadia, or more, national stadia are things that need to be near the centre of cities - for less spending on access, atmosphere and many other things. I don't understand huge stadia in the middle of nowhere that everyone has to drive to. Somewhere in there, I'm guessing there is a trade off between the NIMBYs, capacity and usage levels that means that this isn't always practical. The Lansdowne Road site would be, in this sense, impractical for a 70,000+ capacity stadium, yet there's a rotting docklands with nothing else in it where the trade off wouldn't really exist. For different reasons, the same can be said about the location of Murrayfield. I'm guessing that Twickers certainly didn't have the same sort of NIMBYs as Lansdowne Road (given all those listed houses to the North of the stadium) but I'm prety sure that the design of the exteral part of the new stand was something to do with local residents' concerns about the South Stand just being another concrete monolith.

Nice to see that it's finally beginning to take shape. Is there any time line for when work proper is going to begin on the top tier?

What do you mean by "work proper"? You can see that the steel supports are starting to go in for the top tier...

I'm also interested to see how well the gap between the current structure and the new structure will actually be made.

There won't be a gap between the current structure and the new structure.

Yes the home of rugby is currently getting a makeover and a capacity increase of over 7,000.

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/index.cfm
Official Site?

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/Stadium_Bowl_Persp.jpg
The Completed Bowl

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/South_East_Persp.jpg
South Stand, East Perspective

http://www.rfu.com/microsites/sstand/furniture/South_West_Persp.jpg
South Stand, West Perspective


No offence mate, but twikenham isnt exactly the home of rugby, unless im wrong , i think the MCG is, unless again im wrong :P-sorry to be off topic

No offence mate, but twikenham isnt exactly the home of rugby, unless im wrong , i think the MCG is, unless again im wrong :P-sorry to be off topic

Are you on drugs?!? Several grounds around the world might think they have a reasonable claim to that title, but the Melbourne Cricket Ground?!?!? It's only staged two rugby internationals in its entire history...

Twickenham is considered by many to be the home of rugby because it's the home of the Rugby Football Union, the first union, and has been staging international rugby for nearly 100 years.

Lansdowne Road is the oldest surviving international rugby venue in the world, and one-eyed New Zealand supporters probably think Eden Park is the home of rugby :)

What do you mean by "work proper"? You can see that the steel supports are starting to go in for the top tier...

Sorry, that wasn't exactly clear. I was meaning when the terracing would start going in up there and whatnot.

There won't be a gap between the current structure and the new structure.

Again, maybe unclear - at present there is quite a small gap and I'm assuming, from those photos, that the angle to bridge between the current structure and the new structure is different to the angles of either structure at present. It seems the sort of thing that would be quite easy to make a complete pigs ear of at the construction stage, with regards to where the seats go - Lansdowne Road's East Stand was all built in one go and they managed to hash up the angle changes there something shocking. I'm wondering how well / badly it'll turn out.

Again, maybe unclear - at present there is quite a small gap and I'm assuming, from those photos, that the angle to bridge between the current structure and the new structure is different to the angles of either structure at present. It seems the sort of thing that would be quite easy to make a complete pigs ear of at the construction stage, with regards to where the seats go - Lansdowne Road's East Stand was all built in one go and they managed to hash up the angle changes there something shocking. I'm wondering how well / badly it'll turn out.

Not sure I'm with you - if you look at the photos you can see that the rake of the South Stand middle tier is exactly the same as the West and East Stands (this photo probably illustrates this the best):

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_10.jpg

From what I can tell, every "kink" has the same angle, so the creases you can see in the seating should be no worse than the other end of the horseshoe...

Not sure I'm with you - if you look at the photos you can see that the rake of the South Stand middle tier is exactly the same as the West and East Stands (this photo probably illustrates this the best):

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_10.jpg

From what I can tell, every "kink" has the same angle, so the creases you can see in the seating should be no worse than the other end of the horseshoe...

I wondered the same thing about the gap but I was never in any doubt that it will be closed and will mirror the NE/NW quadrants. Using the same picture to illustrate the point, I was finally convinced of this by the fact that the vomitories either side will, when joined, be equally spaced apart. Once the gap is filled, it will therefore be difficult to see the 'join'.

Don't forget that the N, E and W stands were all constructed a year apart from each other and yet the stadium shows no sign of this. I'm sure they've consulted the original '91(?) blueprints from the North Stand in drawing up the plans for this.

Sorry, that wasn't exactly clear. I was meaning when the terracing would start going in up there and whatnot.

Well, the top tier will be fully in use in 80 days' time, so you shouldn't have too long to wait!

Are they looking to have spectators up there for the Autumn internationals?

Well, it's ambitious....

It really would take the p*ss out of Wembley if they can go from this to fully used in 80 days.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_01.jpg

I'm still not sure that it's possible. I know they threw up the bottom tier, but getting all the materials, seating and access in place to get a safety certificate for the 3rd tier is a completely different proposition.

QED......

Nah, I still haven't really done a good job in being clear, so I'll try this one more time. Looking at the bottom tier, the pictures would indicate a three point joining withing the quads at each corner, so four places where there is an angle interface with the seating. On the second tier, it would appear there is going to be four angle changes on the quads, rather than three. If you look at this picture, you can see that the current structure and the new structure approach here at different angles, despite the upper tier already having three angle changes. As far as I can tell, my, rather rudimentary attempts, at extrapolation would show this further, but I can't seem to host the pic at present - so I would assume a fourth angle change between them, or some remodelling work on the West and East stands where they'll meet the new structure, which would, seemingly, require the removal of the whole stairwell at the ends at present, which seems unlikely.

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/august14_09.jpg

As far as I see, this would mean that, where there is the join, a very small grouping of seats between the angle change, and I'm wondering what it'll look like when it's completed. I can't really imagine and can't find any good pictures of the current quads to see, but I'm worried that it will look sorts messy, because of how small this angle may be.

Look at this, for example, and it would suggest that the way the new stand has been built doesn't quite match the rest, anyway. I'm just wondering if there will be excessive angle changes and join points with the new stand when it's done? It's not really anything from an archetecture view, but the seats can be a nightmaer to sit in for a tall fuck like me!

http://www.stewartb.com/twickenham/twik3.jpg

Applied for a debenture pack - they send you a snazzy CD showing the planned facilities and view. Very impressive - but then so are the prices!

why are the seats green?

why are the seats green?


Actually I have wondered this kind of thing before. England, Tottenham, Leeds, Derby and Real Madrid are just some of the clubs of the top of my head who play in white yet don't have white seats. Maybe they think they are too bright or perhaps something more sinister is afoot.

hmmm

I always thought that the reason why white seats are so unpopular is the same reason why white cars are inadvisable - difficult to keep clean.

Having said that, sun glare is possibly a better explanation.

I also have a bit of a 'thing' about clubs who have white painted areas behing the goals (from the main camera point perspective). It's annoying to 'lose' the ball momentarily when watching on TV, and it's so avoidable!

Actually I have wondered this kind of thing before. England, Tottenham, Leeds, Derby and Real Madrid are just some of the clubs of the top of my head who play in white yet don't have white seats. Maybe they think they are too bright or perhaps something more sinister is afoot.

hmmm
England aren't a club :jk:

Great stadium though, top 3 in Britain.

I always thought that the reason why white seats are so unpopular is the same reason why white cars are inadvisable - difficult to keep clean.

Having said that, sun glare is possibly a better explanation.

I also have a bit of a 'thing' about clubs who have white painted areas behing the goals (from the main camera point perspective). It's annoying to 'lose' the ball momentarily when watching on TV, and it's so avoidable!

maybe it has green seating because the previous ground had green seats too, in fact; if memory servs me well, the old stands were painted green in certain areas as well...a darker green though.

what bothers me with Twickenham is:- the clear plastic in the roof used to be clear, but now it's yellowed over time, this'll show up when the new roof is added

Twickenham is what Old Trafford should've looked like; but with red seats, but no they've totally fucked up that ground :bash:

A picture to show what you're talking about!

http://www.compuserve.co.uk/channels/sport/rugby/five_nations/structure_images/twickenham.jpg

thanks mate,

yes that green on the old West stand was a darker green and you can clearly see the yellowing on the roof, compared to the newer stand beside it.

this yellowing looks awfall, Wembley stadium was the same too, but i expect glass is too heavy, expensive and fragile

http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/september05_01.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/september05_02.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/september05_03.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/september05_04.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/september05_05.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/september05_06.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/september05_07.jpg
http://www.rfu.com/images/webcam_images/september05_08.jpg

61 days to go until the New Zealand Test... :o