London Double Header

The London Double Header ran between 2004 and 2017 and typically opened the season of Premiership Rugby (currently known as the Gallagher Premiership due to sponsorship), the top rugby union league in England.

Two games were played consecutively at Twickenham Stadium, originally involving the 'big four' London origin teams of the Premiership, Harlequins, London Irish, Wasps (London Wasps until the 2014–15 season) and Saracens. Harlequins were relegated from the premiership at the end of the 2004–05 season and thus for the 2005–06 season Leeds Tykes were included instead. The same applied to London Irish in 2016 who were replaced. The matches form part of the regular season fixtures, with one team nominated as the home side for each match. Since 2008 (2016 being an exception) and the inception of The Big Game, Harlequins only compete in the double header as an away side in order to reduce the number of home games they play away from the Stoop.

From 2015 and following Wasps' relocation to Coventry, the direction of the series changed. Two London teams (normally London Irish and Saracens) acted as the hosts, with the away teams being any of the other 10 Premiership Rugby teams. In 2016, Harlequins hosted due to London Irish's relegation from the premiership. In 2015, 2016 and 2017 the series featured a newly promoted team. The Double Header did not take place in 2018 due to redevelopment works at Twickenham Stadium and did not return in 2019 or 2020.

At other times of year Twickenham is also used for regular season Premiership fixtures, such as The Big Game hosted by Harlequins at Christmas time, The Clash hosted by Bath and the Premiership Final in June, as well as international fixtures including those by the Barbarians, plus inter-armed forces and varsity matches.

2004

4 September 2004
14:00
London Irish 18 – 12 Harlequins
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 51,000
Referee: Wayne Barnes
4 September 2004
16:15
Saracens 13 – 11 London Wasps
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 51,000

2005

3 September 2005
14:00
London Wasps 23 – 11 Saracens
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 35,000
3 September 2005
16:20
Leeds Tykes 11 – 27 London Irish
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 35,000
Referee: Sean Davey

2006

2 September 2006
14:00
London Irish 20 – 19 NEC Harlequins
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 51,960
2 September 2006
16:20
Saracens 19 – 21 London Wasps
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 51,960
Referee: Roy Maybank

2007

15 September 2007
15:30
Harlequins 35 – 27 London Irish
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 39,400
Referee: Ashley Rowden
15 September 2007
18:00
London Wasps 19 – 29 Saracens
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 39,400
Referee: Sean Davey

2008

6 September 2008
14:30
London Irish 26 – 14 London Wasps
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 52,087
Referee: Andrew Small
FB15Peter Hewat
WG14Topsy Ojo
CE13Delon Armitage
CE12Seilala Mapusua
WG11Sailosi Tagicakibau
FH10Mike Catt  65'
SH9Paul Hodgson  72'
N88Chris Hala'ufia 16' to 26'  78'
FL7Steffon Armitage
FL6Richard Thorpe
LK5Gary Johnson
LK4Nick Kennedy
PR3Faan Rautenbach  60'
HK2Danie Coetzee  60'
PR1Alex Corbisiero}  48'
Substitutes:
PR16Dan Murphy  48'
HK17David Paice  60'
HK18James Buckland  60'
FL19Jon Fisher  78'
WG20Adam Thompstone
SH21Peter Richards  72'
FH22Eoghan Hickey  65'
Coach:
FB15Mark van Gisbergen  67'
WG14Paul Sackey
CE13Dominic Waldouck
CE12Josh Lewsey  41'
WG11Tom Voyce
FH10Riki Flutey
SH9Eoin Reddan
N88James Haskell  67'
FL7Tom Rees
FL6Joe Worsley
LK5Richard Birkett  53'
LK4Simon Shaw
PR3Pat Barnard  53'
HK2Raphael Ibanez  67'
PR1Tim Payne
Substitutes:
HK16Rob Webber  67'
PR17Phil Vickery  53'
LK18Tom Palmer  53'
N819John Hart  67'
SH20Joe Simpson
FH21Jeremy Staunton  41'
CE22Lachlan Mitchell  67'
Coach:
6 September 2008
17:00
Saracens 21 – 24 Harlequins
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 52,087
Referee: Wayne Barnes

2009

5 September 2009
14:30
Saracens 18 – 14 London Irish
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 67,684
Referee: Dave Pearson
FB15Alex Goode
WG14Noah Cato
CE13Kameli Ratuvou
CE12Brad Barritt
WG11Chris Wyles
FH10Glen Jackson  73'
SH9Neil de Kock  69'
N88Ernst Joubert 59' to 69'
FL7Andy Saull
FL6Wikus van Heerden  53'  63'  78'
LK5Hugh Vyvyan  60'
LK4Steve Borthwick
PR3Carlos Nieto
HK2Schalk Brits 53' to 63'
PR1Rhys Gill  63'
Substitutes:
HK16Fabio Ongaro  53'  63'
PR17Tom Mercey  63'
PR18Richard Skuse
LK19Mouritz Botha  60'
N820Michael Owen  78'
SH21Justin Marshall  69'
FH22Derick Hougaard  73'
WG23Richard Haughton
Coach:
FB15Delon Armitage 53' to 63'
WG14Adam Thompstone
CE13Elvis Seveali'i  41'
CE12Seilala Mapusua
WG11Sailosi Tagicakibau
FH10Ryan Lamb
SH9Paul Hodgson
N88Chris Hala'ufia  51'
FL7Steffon Armitage
FL6Declan Danaher  8'  13'
LK5Andy Perry  51'
LK4Nick Kennedy
PR3Paulică Ion  51'
HK2Danie Coetzee  51'
PR1Clarke Dermody  69'
Substitutes:
PR16Dan Murphy  69'
HK17James Buckland  51'
PR18Faan Rautenbach  51'
LK19Bob Casey  51'
FL20George Stowers  8'  13'  51'
FB21Peter Hewat
SH22Peter Richards  41'
SH23Alfredo Lalanne
Coach:

Scorers:

  • Tries: Jackson, Saull
  • Conversions: Jackson
  • Pens: Jackson 2

Scorers:

  • Try: Stowers
  • Pens: Lamb 2, D Armitage
  • Man of the Match: Glen Jackson
5 September 2009
17:15
London Wasps 26 – 15 Harlequins
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 67,684
Referee: Dean Richards

London Wasps 26 – 15 Harlequins

    • Half Time: 16 – 15

Teams:

  • Wasps: Mark Van Gisbergen, Tom Varndell, Ben Jacobs, Steve Kefu, David Lemi, Danny Cipriani, Joe Simpson, Tim Payne, Rob Webber, Gabriel Bocca, George Skivington, Richard Birkett, John Hart, Serge Betsen (capt), Dan Ward-Smith

Replacements: Joe Ward, Ben Broster, Tom French, Dan Leo, Hugo Ellis, Warren Fury, Dave Walder, Lachlan Mitchell.

Scorers:

  • Tries: Varndell 2
  • Conversions: Van Gisbergen
  • Penalties: Van Gisbergen 3
  • Harlequins: Ugo Monye, David Strettle, Gonzalo Tiesi, Jordan Turner-Hall (YC), Gonzalo Camacho, Nick Evans, Danny Care, Ceri Jones, Gary Botha, Mark Lambert, James Percival, George Robson (RC),[1] Chris Robshaw, Will Skinner (capt), Nick Easter

Replacements: Tani Fuga, Aston Croall, John Andress, Jim Evans, Tom Guest, Steve So'oialo, Rory Clegg, George Lowe.

Scorers:

  • Tries: Monye, Camacho
  • Conversions: Evans
  • Penalties: Evans

Key:

  • YC = Yellow Card
  • RC = Red Card
  • Man of the Match: Serge Betsen

2010

4 September 2010
14:00
London Irish 33 – 16 Saracens
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 75,112
Referee: Andrew Small
4 September 2010
16:30
London Wasps 29 – 29 Harlequins
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 75,112
Referee: Chris White

2011

3 September 2011
14:00
London Irish 24 – 29 Harlequins
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 55,437
Referee: Greg Garner
3 September 2011
16:30
Saracens 15 – 20 London Wasps
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 55,437
Referee: JP Doyle

2012

1 September 2012
14:00
London Wasps 40 – 42 Harlequins
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 63,102
Referee: Greg Garner
1 September 2012
16:30
Saracens 40 – 3 London Irish
Report
Twickenham
Attendance: 63,102
Referee: Wayne Barnes

2013

7 September 2013
14:00
London Irish 20–42 (BP) Saracens
Try: Low 37' c
Yarde 69' c
Con: Humphreys (2/2)
Pen: Humphreys (2) 13', 62'
Report Try: George (2) 9' c, 35' m
Vunipola 63' c
Ashton 81' m
Con: Farrell (2/4)
Pen: Farrell (6) 4', 27', 39', 41', 51', 72'
Twickenham
Attendance: 62,637
Referee: Greg Garner
7 September 2013
16:30
London Wasps (BP) 15–16 Harlequins
Try: Launchbury 0' c
Palmer 80' m
Con: Goode (1/2)
Pen: Goode (1) 13'
Report Try: Dickson 70' c
Con: Evans (1/1)
Pen: Evans (3) 12', 45', 49'
Twickenham
Attendance: 62,637
Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

2014

6 September 2014
14:00
Saracens (BP) 34 – 28 (BP) Wasps
Try: Ashton 6' c
Strettle (3) 20' c, 62' c, 78' c
Con: Hodgson (2/2)
Farrell (2/2)
Pen: Hodgson (2/3) 13', 18'
Report Try: Hughes 43' c
Wade (2) 53' m, 59' c
Con: Goode (2/3)
Pen: Goode (3/3) 10', 16', 26'
Twickenham
Attendance: 66,164
Referee: Andrew Small
6 September 2014
16:30
London Irish (BP) 15 – 20 Harlequins
Pen: Geraghty (5/6) 24', 33', 42', 54', 66'
Report Try: Monye 10' c
Lindsay-Hague 34' c
Con: Evans (2/2)
Pen: Evans (2/6) 7', 27'
Twickenham
Attendance: 66,164
Referee: Greg Garner

2015

The 2015 London Double Header was moved from its traditional Round 1 position, to Round 5, in order to accommodate the 2015 Rugby World Cup knock-out stage matches being played at Twickenham Stadium. It was also the first time since 2005 that Saracens, Harlequins, London Irish and Wasps have not all taken part in the event. Harlequins chose not to take part due to the proximity of The Big Game 8 and were therefore replaced by Worcester Warriors. There had been suggestions that Wasps would not take part, following their move to the Ricoh Arena, however they were announced as one of the away teams for the event at the fixture launch on 3 July 2015.

28 November 2015
15:15
Saracens (BP) 48–18 Worcester Warriors
Try: Ashton (2) 3' c, 51' c
Spencer 21' c
Wray 43' c
Brits 55' c
Ransom 62' c
Con: Hodgson (6/6)
Pen: Hodgson (2/3) 30', 39'
Report Try: Rees 70' m
Van Velze 79' c
Con: Heathcote (1/2)
Pen: Heathcote (2/3) 33', 37'
Twickenham
Attendance: 42,680
Referee: Ian Tempest
28 November 2015
17:30
London Irish 15–33 (BP) Wasps
Try: Williams (2) 40' m, 56' c
Con: Noakes (1/2)
Pen: Noakes (1/3) 7'
Report Try: Halai (2) 37' m, 74' m
Daly 49' c
Young 70' c
Con: Jackson (1/2)
Gopperth (1/2)
Pen: Jackson (2/4) 4', 18'
Gopperth (1/1) 54'
Twickenham
Attendance: 42,680
Referee: Wayne Barnes

2016

The 2016 London Double Header returned to its traditional Round 1 position. London Irish were relegated from the Premiership and therefore would not take part. Home teams were confirmed on 28 June, with away teams confirmed at fixture launch on 7 July.

3 September 2016
14:00
Saracens (BP) 35-3 Worcester Warriors
3 September 2016
16:30
Harlequins 21-19 (BP) Bristol Rugby

2017

The 2017 London Double Header would take place in its traditional Round 1 position. London Irish return after being promoted back into the Premiership. Home teams were confirmed on 22 June, with the away teams confirmed at the Premiership fixture launch on 7 July.[2]

2 September 2017
14:00
(BP) Saracens 55–24 Northampton Saints
Try: Barritt 8' m
Wigglesworth 11' c
Maitland (3) 20' m, 31' m, 34' m
Lozowski 28' c
Koch 37' c
Brits 51' c
Spencer 67' c
Con: Lozowski (5/9) 12', 29', 38', 52', 68'
Report Try: Ludlam 43' c
Wood (2) 55' c, 64' c
Con: Mallinder (3/3) 44', 56', 64'
Pen: Mallinder (1/2) 24'
Twickenham
Attendance: 56,532
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
2 September 2017
16:45
(BP) London Irish 39–29 Harlequins (BP)
Try: Ojo 23' c
Bell 30' m
Treviranus 56' m
McKibbin 78' c
Con: Bell (2/4) 24', 79'
Pen: Bell (5/6) 4', 7', 37', 52', 75'
Report Try: Marchant 34' c
Yarde 63' c
Care 72' m
Walker 77' c
Con: M. Smith (1/1) 34'
Catrakilis (2/3) 64', 77'
Pen: M. Smith (1/1) 15'
Twickenham
Attendance: 56,532
Referee: Tom Foley

References

  1. "'Head-butt' compounds Quins woes". BBC Sport. 5 September 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  2. Premiership fixtures confirmed for 2017-18 season.
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