Interview with Ugo Monye

24/08/2009

Interview with Ugo Monye

Ugo Monye visited Abu Dhabi earlier this year. He was brought over by Etihad due to their sponsorship of the Harlequins club. We were lucky enough to be able to sit down with the London Harlequins, English International and Lions Tour player in July when he visited the UAE capital. He was even kind enough to go to a training session in Al Ghazal Golf Club.

Your International career to date is littered with some big successes and occasions. Is there any particular moment, try or game that simply tops the rest hands down?

Ya, it’d be my last try in the 3rd test for the Lions, that was just unbelievable. After all that we had been through in the last 7 weeks, to finally get a victory in a test match and finish the tournament the way we did, to be a part of that and score in front of all of those supporters was easily the biggest moment of my career.

If you weren’t a professional sports star, what would you like to be doing for a living?

I’d love to get involved in fashion or business or if possible combine the two. It’s always been a big hobby and interest of mine and that’s how I kind of switch off to rugby.

On the Lions tour who was the most upbeat guy in the camp?

It’s actually a guy that didn’t play too much, Donnacha O Callaghan. I lived with him for a week and he was always positive, supportive and funny regardless of how he was getting on so I bonded really well with him.

Considering how well the Lions played as a whole over the tour, do you feel that ye were unlucky to come away with a 2-1 loss?

Definitely, we went into the 3rd test 2-0 down and that did not reflect how we had played. I thought that we played really well and an exciting brand of rugby. I guess International Rugby is about those small inches and we lost out on them a few times. To come away from the tour 2-1 down when it could have been 2-1 in our favour and maybe even 3-0 is disappointing, but I’m glad we finished on a great note.

So I suppose you’d have to say fair play to the South Africans as they managed to get over the line but unlucky for the Lions all of the same.

Ya definitely, they showed an incredible amount of resilience and they blitzed us for that 1st test in Durban in the first 20 minutes, I think we were a little cold and the 2nd test we were 15 points up with about 20 minutes to go and for them to come back with Morne Steyn to step up and kick that last minute penalty from 55 yards, I say congratulations to them.

Who could have predicted a finish like that I suppose?

Absolutely, it is kind of fairytale, for him to be playing in his homeplace, to come off the bench for Pienaar who had been 100% in the 1st test, but then kicked poorly in the 2nd and set up the finish for Steyn to produce that in the last minute. It was magical for them and congrats again.

Who is the single best player that you have ever played beside? Very tough question I know.

There are two guys, in the Harlequins I have played with Nick Evans, the New Zealander. He’s an unbelievable player. He does his job so well, he has incredible vision, great handling skills and has as good upper body skills as any back three in the world. He tackles well and can do just about everything. But I also learned a lot from Brian O’ Driscoll, he is one of the world’s best. He has been consistently there over the last 12 years. Those two are certainly outstanding.

Both the Harlequins and yourself have had a very strong season, how do you feel about the upcoming campaign?

I’m really looking forward to it, we had a great season last year but it’s going to be much harder this time around. I think we have built up a lot of momentum over the past 4 years and it’s time for us as a team and individuals to collectively step up and take that next level. We’d love to win a cup next season, we haven’t won one for a few years now, whether it’s the Premiership, Heineken Cup or EDF, it is imperitive that we come away with a trophy this year.

Do any of the Harlequins players, including you, have any pre-match rituals or lucky charms?

I’m not that superstitious but I’m a man of routine. One thing that I will always do that is pretty cheesy is ring my mum before every game and say a little prayer on the phone. I’ll do that every game. Then you have some guys who insist on wearing the same Superman boxers for every game.

Washed or unwashed?

Ha ha…I’d love to believe washed but I haven’t a clue you know with some of the characters that are on the side. There are a few dodgy superstitions but maybe they’re not recordable so I better keep them to myself.

So for you, it’s more of a routine than superstition thing?

Ya, like this season we have won a lot of games and when you are winning you want to keep the same routine. Whatever worked for you last week, you believe will keep you in good stead for the following week.

What do you like most about playing for the Harlequins?

Well I don’t believe that anywhere in the Premiership you will find a stronger bond than what we have at Harlequins. I’m so fortunate to be there for the past 8 years, it’s my only club. We have a lot of English talent, a lot of guys who are achieving and pushing for International honours. The bond we have off the pitch is fantastic. I play with some of my best mates. There is no better feeling than looking around the pitch and seeing your mates. For me, it is not a job; I’m having the time of my life doing it. Hopefully the bonds that we have off the pitch are showing in the way that we play rugby on the field.

Who was/is your favourite England player of all time?

Of all time. Wow, that’s a tough one. There have been a few amazing English rugby players. There would be the Underwood brothers, I’ve got a brother and I would have always loved to play with him. The Underwood brothers as they were both Wingers and fantastic finishers. I’ve got a great mum and they had one as well so I guess I can relate to those guys.

What has changed in the past year to 18 months that suddenly catapulted you into International rugby and Lions tour success? Is there anything in yourself that has changed or your game in general?

There are a couple of things. I’ve suffered from bad injuries in the past and having a clean bill of health has really stood me in good stead. Any player will tell you, if you can play a few games in concession then you can really show your true ability. The major thing that I have relied on is my faith. I’m a Christian and it’s really supported me, helped me and kept me grounded as well as given me some good morals in what is sometimes a real tough rugby world with questionable morals. I’d say a combination of a lot of things has helped push me into the International and Lions side.

So do you believe that your religious faith has helped you through injuries?

It has helped me recover from injury as well as helping me keep faith in myself and just the knowledge and security that I am what I am and regardless of whatever injuries or maybe a bad moment in a game that I can get to the finish line.

Thanks Ugo and I hope you enjoy your time in Abu Dhabi.

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