Grounds Trivia Quiz

Answer:

The knock-on effects of the Covid pandemic and financial pressures has led to the demise of teams such as Worcester Warriors who folded in 2022, Wasps and London Irish, who went into administration in 2022 and 2023 respectively, leaving only ten teams in the Premier League in mid-2023, all of which appear in this quiz. I'm hoping there have been no more casualties by the time you read this.

Exeter were founded in 1871 with Chiefs being added to their name in 1999. They were promoted to the top tier in 2010 and have champions twice. Their ground, Sandy Park, dates from 2006 and is owned by the club.

Bristol's rugby union team dates from 1888 with the Bears nickname added in 2018. The club originally played at the Memorial Ground but moved their home games to Ashton Gate in 2014 due to higher capacity for spectators.

Bath were established in 1865 and are one of the three clubs never to have been relegated from the top tier of English rugby, although only a moratorium on relegation saved them in 2022 . Their home ground is The Recreation Ground, established in the 1890s as a facility for the people of Bath. Owned by a trust, the area is commonly called 'The Rec' with Bath Rugby leasing around a quarter of the ground, which also caters for other sports such as cricket, hockey and tennis.

Gloucester are another team to have been ever present in the top division at the time of writing. The club formed in 1873 and is nicknamed the Cherry and Whites due to the colour of their strip. Their ground at Kingsholm dates from 1891 and has been much improved since then. The club owns it.

Northampton Saints were called Northampton St. James when they began in 1880, so the Saints addition to their name is of longstanding. Their ground, Franklin's Gardens, is named for an early owner of the site in the 1880s. The rugby club bought the stadium outright in 1977 and has developed the site to include conference facilities and as a venue for weddings.

Leicester Tigers are the third and final member of the group who have managed to stay in the top division of rugby. Both the club and the Tigers name date from the 1880s. They have played at Welford Road since 1892.

Sale were formed in 1861 with the Sharks nickname being added in 1999. They are located in the Greater Manchester area and play in Salford, a city also located in Greater Manchester. The A J Bell Stadium was originally called the Salford City Stadium, being renamed as part of a sponsorship deal struck with the rugby union team.

Northern England is more of a rugby league stronghold, so we have to move to Newcastle to find the next ground on the list, home to Newcastle Falcons. Dating from 1877, the team has had a few different names with the Falcons name adopted in 1996. Kingston Park, owned by the club, opened in 1990 and the local rugby league team, Newcastle Thunder, also play there.

The final two teams are both London based. Saracens were formed in 1876 and have been playing at the ground named for their sponsors since 2013. The ground is owned by Barnet Council and is also known by its original name, Copthall Stadium. Harlequins are located in south-west London, and have been established since 1866. The club acquired their home in 1963 and named it for a long time player called Adrian Stoop. Although officially renamed as the Twickenham Stoop Stadium in 2005, the ground is most often still called 'The Stoop', even on the club's own website. Old habits die hard, it seems.