England Rugby Stadia Menu
Ampthill
There are rugby grounds and there are rugby grounds, and then there is Dillingham Park, home of Ampthill Rugby Club, affectionately known as the MOB.
If you like your rugby served up with a generous helping of grassroots charm rather than concrete stands, corporate hospitality and a sea of plastic seats, this is somewhere you really ought to visit.
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Bath
There are rugby grounds that are impressive, grounds that are atmospheric, and grounds that are in a wonderful location.
Bath Rugby's Recreation Ground, universally known as The Rec, manages to tick all three boxes, although it also manages to empty your wallet with an enthusiasm that would make a London restaurant owner blush.
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Bedford Blues
There are some rugby grounds that you visit because they are big, modern and impressive, and others that you visit because they have something rather more difficult to put your finger on: character.
Goldington Road, home of Bedford Blues, firmly belongs in the second category.
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Bristol Bears
Bristol Bears are one of those clubs that have managed to reinvent themselves while retaining a passionate following, and their home at Ashton Gate is an impressive venue for watching rugby.
Shared with Bristol City Football Club, it is a proper modern stadium rather than a traditional rugby ground, but that doesn't stop it providing an enjoyable matchday experience.
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Chinnor
Chinnor Rugby Club has come a long way from its traditional village-club roots, having established itself in the Championship and taken on some considerably bigger names in English rugby.
Based on the outskirts of Thame in Oxfordshire, Kingsey Road remains a proper rugby club rather than a purpose-built stadium, although there are clear ambitions to move things forward.
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Coventry
It has to be one of the best names in rugby, although I suspect the residents of Coventry have become so accustomed to it that they no longer raise a smile. Butts Park Arena is home to Coventry Rugby, one of England's oldest rugby clubs, founded way back in 1874. Despite a few ups and downs over the years, the club retains a proud identity and a loyal following.
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Ealing Trailfinders
Ealing Trailfinders are something of an enigma in English rugby. For several seasons they have been among the strongest sides in the Championship, regularly threatening to break into the Premiership and demonstrating that they are capable of competing with the big boys.
Yet, despite their achievements on the pitch, promotion has repeatedly been thwarted by regulations governing the ground rather than the quality of the rugby.
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Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Chiefs have come a long way from their humble beginnings as a local rugby club. Once regarded as something of an outsider in the English game, they have established themselves among the country's leading clubs, winning Premiership titles and European honours along the way.
Their rise has been remarkable, and Sandy Park has grown alongside them.
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Gloucester
If there is one ground that feels as though rugby is genuinely in its blood, it is Kingsholm, home of Gloucester Rugby, the Cherry and Whites.
This is a club with a proud history, a fiercely loyal following and a stadium that has retained much of its traditional rugby character despite the inevitable modernisation of professional sport.
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Harlequins
If Twickenham Stadium is the grand old daddy of English rugby, then The Stoop, home of Harlequins, is very much the baby brother. Situated practically next door to the national stadium, it enjoys much of the same rugby atmosphere without quite the same sense of occasion or the need to take out a second mortgage to pay for everything.
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Leicester Tigers
If there is one club in English rugby that can legitimately claim to be part of the sport's aristocracy, it is Leicester Tigers. With a trophy cabinet that would make most other clubs weep, a fiercely loyal following and a reputation for doing things the hard way, Tigers are one of the great institutions of English rugby..
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Newcastle Red Bull
Newcastle rugby has had a rather difficult time of it in recent years. Once upon a time, Newcastle Falcons were an established Premiership club, capable of competing with the best and producing some excellent players. Unfortunately, the club subsequently found itself struggling near the foot of the table, with attendances and results that hardly inspired confidence.
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Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints have one of the more recognisable names in English rugby, although keeping track of the name of their home ground can be a little more challenging.
As sponsorship deals come and go, the official name seems to change with them, but supporters know exactly what they mean when they say they're going to Franklin's Gardens.
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Nottingham
Nottingham is rather spoilt when it comes to sporting venues. Within a relatively small area you have the City Ground, home of Nottingham Forest, Meadow Lane, where Notts County play their football, and the iconic Trent Bridge cricket ground, one of the most famous venues in the world of cricket.
With three such established sporting neighbours, it is perhaps inevitable that Nottingham Rugby Club doesn't quite enjoy the same glamour or recognition.
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Richmond
Richmond Rugby Club is one of the historic names in English rugby, with a history stretching back to 1861. Based in the leafy surroundings of south-west London, Richmond Athletic Ground is a venue with plenty of traditional character. Unfortunately, some parts of the ground are perhaps a little too traditional for their own good!
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Rotherham Titans
Rotherham Titans are a club with a proud history and an interesting story to tell. After several years away, they have returned to the Championship, English rugby's second tier, and are once again facing some of the country's better-known clubs.
Their home is Clifton Lane, a traditional sporting ground in South Yorkshire that has been the club's base for generations.
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Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are one of those clubs that have spent much of their existence trying to establish themselves as a major force in English rugby while operating in the shadow of the far more fashionable football clubs of Greater Manchester.
Despite this, Sale have developed a reputation for producing tough, uncompromising teams capable of giving anybody a difficult afternoon.
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Saracens
Saracens are one of the biggest names in English rugby, a club that has enjoyed considerable success over the years and developed a reputation for doing things its own way.
Their supporters have celebrated league titles and European triumphs, and the club has attracted some of the finest players in the game. Although this success has not come without controversy, the elephant in the room that has been covered extensively elsewhere, so I will not rehash it here.
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Worcester Warriors
Worcester Warriors are probably the most controversial addition to the Championship, and there are plenty of rugby supporters, myself included, who believe they should have had to work their way back up from the bottom of the pyramid following the club's spectacular financial collapse.
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