View source for Adrian Stoop

{{Short description|England international rugby union player}}
{{distinguish|Adriaan Stoop}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| image = AdrianStoop1.jpg
| name = Adrian Dura Stoop
| birth_name = Adrian Dura Stoop
| nickname = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1883|03|27}}
| birth_place =  [[Kensington]], [[England]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1957|11|27|1883|03|27|df=yes}}
| death_place =  [[Aldershot]], [[England]]
| relatives = [[Adriaan Stoop]] (uncle)
| height = 
| weight = 
| ru_position = [[Fly-half (rugby union)|Fly-half]]
| ru_nationalteam = [[England national rugby union team|England]]
| ru_nationalcaps = 15
| ru_nationalpoints = (6)
| ru_ntupdate = 
| ru_nationalyears = 1905-1912
| ru_clubyears = 
| ru_clubupdate = 
| ru_clubcaps =
| ru_clubpoints =
| ru_proclubs = {{nowrap|[[Oxford University RFC]]<br>[[Harlequin F.C.]]<br/>[[Barbarian F.C.]]}}
| occupation = 
| school = [[Dover College]]<br />[[Rugby School]]
| university = [[University of Oxford]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Audrey Deline Needham|1918}}
{{Infobox military person
| embed = yes
| allegiance = [[United Kingdom]]
| branch = [[British Army]]
| serviceyears = 
| rank = [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]]
| servicenumber = 
| unit = [[Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)]]
| awards = [[Military Cross]]
}}
}}
'''Adrian Stoop''' (27 March 1883 – 27 November 1957)<ref>[http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/player/1714.html Adrian Stoop international record] Scrum.com</ref> was an [[England|English]] [[rugby union]] player of [[Netherlands|Dutch]] descent.

He played 182 times for [[Harlequins (rugby)|Harlequins]] between 1901 and 1939, and won 15 caps for [[England national rugby union team|England]].

He was president of the Harlequins 1920–1949. The club's ground, [[The Stoop]], is named in his memory. 
[[File:Stoop Quins vs Wigan.jpg|250px|thumb|left|The Stoop, his name given to the ground]]
His association with Harlequins lasted from his debut against Oxford University in November 1901 until 1950 when he ended his 30-year stint as president of the club. He played his last game in Quins colours in 1939, at the age of 56. He made 182 appearances in total, captained the side 143 times and scored 86 tries, being club captain for 8 consecutive seasons from 1906/07 to 1913/14.

Stoop was born on 27 March 1883 in Cromwell Road, [[London]]. His father was Dutch and his mother was half Scottish/half Irish. He went to [[Dover College]] in 1896 and on to [[Rugby School]] in 1898, where he played for the school team, and then to Oxford University, where he was captain of the rugby team in 1904.

It was whilst he was still at Rugby school that he was asked to join Harlequins. He had also been approached by [[Blackheath_F.C.|Blackheath]], who at the time were a bigger name than Quins, but he decided to accept the offer from Quins.

In 1905, Stoop made his debut for England against [[Scotland_national_rugby_union_team|Scotland]] and it was also against Scotland that he earned the last of his 15 caps in 1912. During this time he captained the national side twice, including the first ever international played at [[Twickenham_Stadium|Twickenham]] in 1910. Had it not been for a broken collarbone in 1907 he would have added to his international appearances.

Stoop is widely credited with revolutionising back play. Previously, the two half backs were designated as "left and right", but Stoop incorporated ideas already being used in Wales and New Zealand to introduce the concept of the [[Rugby_union_positions#Scrum-half|Scrum Half]] and [[Rugby_union_positions#Fly-half|Fly Half]]. He used these ideas to great success for both Harlequins and England.

As well as being club captain from 1906 to 1914, Stoop was secretary from 1905 to 1914 and from 1920 to 1938 as well as president from 1920 to 1950. He was also president of the [[Rugby_Football_Union|RFU]] in 1932 and was a member of the selection committee. In addition to Quins and England he also represented Oxford University, Surrey and The Barbarians.

He was keen beekeeper and ornithologist.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

He died on 27 November 1957, aged 74. He is buried at [[Hartley Wintney]], Hampshire, where he had lived for many years.

== References ==
{{reflist}}
* ''Immortal Harlequin: The Story of Adrian Stoop'' by Ian Cooper (2004) {{ISBN|0-7524-3180-3}}

{{English national rugby union team captains}}
{{Rugby Football Union Presidents}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stoop, Adrian}}
[[Category:1883 births]]
[[Category:1957 deaths]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea]]
[[Category:English rugby union players]]
[[Category:England international rugby union players]]
[[Category:People educated at Dover College]]
[[Category:People educated at Rugby School]]
[[Category:Alumni of University College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Barbarian F.C. players]]
[[Category:Harlequin F.C. players]]
[[Category:Oxford University RFC players]]
[[Category:English people of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:Middlesex County RFU players]]
[[Category:Rugby union fly-halves]]
[[Category:People from Kensington]]
[[Category:20th-century English sportsmen]]