England winger Ugo Monye is determined to turn back the clock and resurrect his international career in South Africa this summer.
Quins flyer determined to make his mark on the veltd
England winger Ugo Monye is determined to turn back the clock and resurrect his international career in South Africa this summer.
The last time Monye stepped on a rugby field in South Africa he experienced the greatest day of his life, scoring the winning try in a British and Irish Lions Test victory.
Three frustrating years on, Monye will head back to South Africa with England this summer desperate to kick-start an international career that stalled on 15 caps.
Monye could have accepted one of the lucrative offers of a move to French club rugby that he has received over the last two years, but his desire to play again for England led him to sign a new three-year contract with Harlequins, which takes him up to the 2015 World Cup.
And Monye believes there is no better place than South Africa for him to relaunch his England career - and no better environment than the one being created by head coach Stuart Lancaster.
"To score the winning try in that third Test was the perfect way for me to end the tour and for the Lions to finish with a victory," Monye said.
"I closed that chapter on a good note. It was the best day of my life, it was such a powerful moment and I am hoping there will still be more of them to come.
"This is a great opportunity for me to open a new chapter. I would like to start up where I left off. Hopefully I can add something to this new-look England team."
Fringes
Monye's last England appearance was in 2010 and he has remained on the fringes of England selection, frustrated at missing out on selection for the World Cup and for the Six Nations.
But at no stage has his desire to play for England waned. "I signed a three-year contract at Quins for the very reason I wanted to give myself the best possible opportunity to play for my country," he said.
"When people write you off or you are not the in vogue wing, there are two avenues you can take.
"You can kind of feel sorry for yourself, get your head down and kick the dust or you can try and do something about it. I feel I have always shown a good reaction to disappointment.
"I could have gone to France. Plenty of people have gone abroad and chased the money. I wanted to stay here.
"I know it is a professional sport and people need to look after themselves but you have a limited career to achieve what you can.
"What was important to me was being part of Harlequins and England. It was a big statement that I wanted to stay in the country because I feel I have something to offer.
"I feel I have shown that this season. Now I want to back that up in South Africa."
