Ugo Monye

Ugochukwu "Ugo" Chiedozie Monye (born 13 April 1983 in Islington, London) is a former English international rugby union player who played club rugby for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership.

As a youth Monye was a star athlete, and competed in the English Schools' Championships finishing 5th in his heat with a personal best of 10.60 seconds in the 100 metres at the age of 16. He is also friends with Olympians Mark Lewis-Francis and Tyrone Edgar who also competed in the English Schools' Championship.

Monye was a student at Lord Wandsworth College, best known for producing Jonny Wilkinson, Monye played for Hampshire U17s and U20s, as well as achieving success on the track.

In deciding which to pursue, Monye was fortunate that his former sports master Tim Richardson put him in touch with Harlequins U19 coach Colin Osborne. When the club offered him a professional contract after a few games he jumped at the opportunity and within 12 months he was a member of the England Sevens team that had won the Hong Kong Sevens. Monye was a key member of the England 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 Saxons sides that won the Churchill Cup in 2005 and 2008. He first played for Harlequins in the friendly against Glasgow Warriors in August 2002 and began the following season with five tries in two matches including a hat trick against Rotherham Titans at Millmoor.