Harleguins are an English rugby union team who play in the Zurich Premiership. Their ground is called the Stoop.
The Harlequin Football Club was founded in 1866 (although the first recorded game was not until 1867) as Hampstead Football Club and re-named in 1870.
An offshoot of this was that there was a split in the membership of the Hampstead Football Club and the half that did not form the Harlequins went off and formed a club known as the Wasps.
For our first 40 years, they were very nomadic in their existence and played at a total of 15 venues. Since 1909, we have only played at three!
In 1906, Quins were invited by the Rugby Football Union to use the new national stadium in Twickenham. In those early days only one or two internationals were played there during the season, and it wasn't long before the RFU ground became the Headquarters of the Harlequin Football Club.
In 1963, Quins acquired an athletics ground with 14 acres just over the road from the RFU ground, which became the Harlequin training pitch. This has subsequently become their home: the Stoop Memorial Ground. This is named after Adrian Dura Stoop, who won 15 caps for England and is said to have been the person who developed modern back play.
On the field and with the introduction of leagues in 1987, bringing with it a more competitive environment, Quins has maintained its status in the Premier Division as one of England’s top 12 Clubs.
The club have won the Rugby Football Union Clubs knockout competition on two occasions. The John Player Cup in 1988 and Pilkington Cup in 1991. In addition they played in the finals of 1992, 1993 and 2001.
Quins became the first British side to win the European Shield in 2001, defeating Narbone 42-33 in the final. They then became the first team to win the tournament twice; defeating Montferrand 27-26 in the final of the renamed Parker Pen Challenge Cup on 22nd May 2004.
1988
1991
2001 2004