Ugo Monye
{{Short description|English rugby union player}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{infobox rugby biography
| name = Ugo Monye
| image = Ugo Monye.jpg
| caption = Ugo Monye in January 2013
| alt =
| birth_name = Ugochukwu Chiedozie Monye
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|4|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = Islington, London, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{convert|1.88|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|92|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} {{cite web |url= http://www.union.quins.co.uk/rugby/1stXV.php?player=4789&includeref=dynamic |title=Harlequins 1st XV |year=2011 |work=web page |publisher=Harlequins |access-date=13 June 2011}}
| school = Lord Wandsworth College
| ru_currentteam =
| position = Wing / Centre / Fullback
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Harlequins
| years1 = 2002–2015
| clubs1 = Harlequins
| apps1 = 241
| points1 = 435
| ru_clubupdate = 7 March 2015
| provinceyears1 =
| province1 =
| provinceapps1 =
| provincepoints1 =
| superyears1 =
| super1 =
| superapps1 =
| superpoints1 =
| repyears1 = 2008–2012
| repyears2 = 2009
| repyears3 = 2006–2015
| repteam1 = England
| repteam2 = British & Irish Lions
| repteam3 = England Saxons
| repcaps1 = 14
| repcaps2 = 2
| reppoints1 = 10
| reppoints2 = 5
| ru_ntupdate = 10 November 2012
| repsevensyears1 = 2002–2005
| repsevensteam1 = England
| repsevenscomp1 =
| coachyears1 =
| coachteams1 =
| refereeyears1 =
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}}
Ugochukwu Chiedozie Monye (born 13 April 1983) is an English former rugby union player who is now a sports pundit.{{Cite web |title=Ugo Monye |url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/ugo-monye |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=The Guardian |language=en}} Monye played 14 times for {{nrut|England}}, 241 times for his only club Harlequins{{Cite web |title=BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing - Ugo Monye |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/2XCF7nys7Fjmxmmq4PSyQ3R/ugo-monye |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} and twice for the British & Irish Lions on their 2009 tour to South Africa. Monye won both the second division and then the Premiership title with Harlequins, as well as winning the European Rugby Challenge Cup in 2011.
Career
=Youth career=
Monye was born in Islington, London, on 13 April 1983 and attended Lord Wandsworth College.[https://worldrugbymuseum.com/from-the-vaults/players/player-profile-ugo-monye 'PLAYER PROFILE: Ugo Monye']. Rugby World Museum, 13 November 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2025 As an 18-year-old Monye competed at the English Schools' Athletics Championships in the 100 metres, finishing fifth in his heat in a time of 11.10 seconds.{{cite web |url= http://www.esaa.net/2001/tf/national/sb.html |title=Ugo Monye 100m personal best English Schools Championships |year=2001 |work=web page |publisher=ESAA |access-date=6 July 2001}} He is friends with Olympians Mark Lewis-Francis and Tyrone Edgar who also competed in the English Schools' Championship.{{cite news |last1=Geddes |first1=Jon |title=Speed King to Tackle Aussies |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/news/speed-king-to-tackle-aussies/news-story/d5062bd095cff8fd7f82f0b483a67fe0 |access-date=8 March 2025 |publisher=The Telegraph |date=18 March 2009}}
Monye played for Hampshire RFC U17s and U20s.{{cite web |last1=Roberts |first1=Graeme |title=Black History Month: Harlequins & Barbarians |url=https://www.quins.co.uk/article/black-history-month-harlequins-and-barbarians |website=Harlequins FC |access-date=8 March 2025}}
=Breakthrough and sevens=
Harlequins offered him a professional contract and within 12 months he was a member of the England RFU Sevens team that won the Hong Kong Sevens. Monye was a key member of the Sevens squad throughout the 2002–03 and 2003–04 IRB World Sevens Series, and was part of the team that competed in the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Hong Kong. He was also part of the England RFU Saxons sides that won the Churchill Cup in 2005 and 2008. He first played for Harlequins in a friendly against Glasgow Warriors RFC in August 2002, beginning the following season with five tries in two matches, including a hat trick against Rotherham Titans at Millmoor.
Monye scored five tries against Exeter Chiefs in Harlequins' 70–5 victory at Twickenham Stoop as the side returned to the Guinness Premiership after a season in National One during which Monye scored 16 tries. By the 2009–10 season, he had run in 47 tries in 105 games for the club.
=International debut=
Monye made his England debut in England's 39–13 victory over the Pacific Islanders at Twickenham in 2008 and started the rest of the autumn internationals against Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. He scored his first try for England against Scotland at Twickenham in the Six Nations on 21 March 2009.
Selected for the 2009 Lions' tour of South Africa, Monye started the first Test in Durban, which the Lions lost, and he was replaced by Luke Fitzgerald. Monye was recalled for the third Test and scored a 70-metre intercept try. He was the tourists' highest try scorer with five.
=Club success=
In September 2010, Ugo suffered a career-threatening injury and, after surgery, was sidelined for 12 weeks. This ruled him out of the England squad for the autumn test series and consequently the 2011 Six Nations tournament. He returned to play for Harlequins who he helped to win the Amlin Challenge Cup, before being named in the England training squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup at the end of the season.
Monye started for Harlequins in their 2011–12 Premiership final victory over Leicester Tigers.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/18154802|title=Harlequins 30–23 Leicester|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 May 2012 |access-date=2 March 2016}}
On 24 March 2015, Monye announced he was retiring at the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/32022612|title=Ugo Monye: Harlequins winger to retire at end of season|work=BBC Sport|date=24 March 2015}}
= Chair of independent advisory group on diversity =
In April 2021, Monye was appointed chair of the Rugby Football Union's independent advisory group on diversity.{{Cite news |title='I want everyone to feel rugby is for them' |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/56709956 |access-date=2022-06-16}}
In June 2022, during an interview with The Telegraph, Monye argued that rugby union needed to tackle its "heavy drinking" and "laddish" culture in order to become fully inclusive.{{Cite news |title=Monye says rugby must tackle 'drinking culture' |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/61808049 |access-date=2022-06-16}}
= Media work=
Monye presents the Rugby Union Weekly podcast for the BBC with journalist Chris Jones and England scrum half Danny Care. He also presents on BT Sport. In July 2021, it was announced that Monye and Sam Quek would be the new team captains on BBC's Question of Sport quiz show.{{Cite news|date=2021-07-08|title=Paddy McGuinness replaces Sue Barker as A Question of Sport host|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-57761226|access-date=2021-07-08}}
From September 2021 Monye was a contestant on the nineteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, paired with professional dancer Oti Mabuse.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/2XCF7nys7Fjmxmmq4PSyQ3R/ugo-monye|title=BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing - Ugo Monye|website=BBC}} The couple finished in 11th place.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/strictly-results-ugo-monye-2021-b1944348.html|title=The latest celebrity to leave Strictly has been named|date=24 October 2021|website=The Independent}}
= Bankruptcy =
In January 2025, Monye was served with a bankruptcy petition by UK tax authorities HM Revenue & Customs over reported non-payment of nearly £200,000 in tax and National Insurance payments.{{Cite news |last=Rumsby |first=Ben |date=2025-01-13 |title=BBC presenter Ugo Monye facing financial ruin |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2025/01/13/bbc-presenter-ugo-monye-facing-financial-ruin/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}} News reports subsequently confirmed in March 2025 that HM Revenue & Customs had withdrawn the bankruptcy petition because it 'could not find his address.'{{Cite news |last=Rumsby |first=Ben |date=2025-03-25 |title=Ugo Monye bankruptcy petition withdrawn after HMRC 'could not find his address' |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2025/03/25/ugo-monye-bankruptcy-withdrawn-hmrc-not-find-address/ |access-date=2025-03-26 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}
Personal life
On 21 October 2021 Monye announced that he and his wife had split.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/celebs/strictly-come-dancing-ugo-monye-21925143|title=Strictly's Ugo Monye's split from wife of 5 years and 'curse' that was to blame|first=Josh|last=Bolton|date=21 October 2021|website=MyLondon}}
Monye's father died shortly before his appearance on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/20210925122565/ugo-monye-reveals-dad-died-before-strictly-debut/|title=Strictly star Ugo Monye dedicates first dance to late dad|date=25 September 2021|website=HELLO!}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/ugo-monyes-strictly-come-dancing-tribute-on-day-of-fathers-funeral-5wtdtl9qk|title = Ugo Monye's Strictly Come Dancing tribute on day of father's funeral}}
He is a committed Christian.{{Cite web |last=Harrison |first=Maxine |date=2021-09-03 |title=Everything you need to know about A Question of Sport's Ugo Monye |url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/question-sport-who-team-captain-5863829 |access-date=2023-01-06 |website=BristolLive |language=en}} He shares about his faith on episode 14 of the Alpha Course film series.{{Citation |last=Digital |first=Alpha |title=Alpha Film Series {{!}} Episode 14 Why and how should I tell others? |date=2016-09-29 |url=https://vimeo.com/184825498 |access-date=2023-11-29}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=3781872|name=Ugo Monye}}
- [http://www.quins.co.uk/playerdisplay.ink?skip=22&season=2006/2007&playertype=P Harlequins profile]
- [http://www.england-rugby.com/englandrugby/index.cfm?fuseaction=News.News_Detail&storyid=10912 England profile]
- [http://www.maximuscle.com/ugo Ugo Monye – Maximuscle Ambassador profile]
- [https://www.engagehospitality.co.uk Ugo Monye - Engage Ambassador profile]
{{British and Irish Lions 2009}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monye, Ugo}}
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:British & Irish Lions rugby union players from England
Category:England international rugby union players
Category:English people of Nigerian descent
Category:Sportspeople of Nigerian descent
Category:English rugby union players
Category:Harlequin F.C. players
Category:People educated at Lord Wandsworth College
Category:Rugby union players from the London Borough of Islington