The Rugby Paper Roundup: Ugo Monye interview – Can Harlequins bounce back? England’s wing battle + closing the gap

In this week’s episode of The Rugby Paper Roundup… The Premiership is back – and former England and British & Irish Lions winger Ugo Monye joins TRP Assistant Editor Ben Jaycock to look ahead to the new domestic season and tackle some of the biggest questions facing English rugby.

After a disappointing campaign for Harlequins, can Ugo’s former club bounce back and re-establish themselves among the Premiership contenders?

Do they need to evolve their trademark attacking style to challenge for silverware?

We also turn our attention to England’s increasingly competitive battle on the wings, including one of the most exciting young talents in the country.

Can Harlequins bounce back?

We discuss…

• What went wrong for Quins last season
• Whether they can return to Premiership title contention
• The importance of maintaining their attacking identity while finding different ways to win
• Who Ugo expects to set the standard as the Premiership returns
• The teams and players who could surprise us this season

England’s battle on the wing

As a former international winger himself, Ugo gives his verdict on the growing number of players pushing for England honours.

• What does an elite Test winger need in the modern game?
• Who is closest to breaking into Steve Borthwick’s side?
• And with so much competition emerging, what combination should England ultimately be looking for?

Is Noah Caluori ready for Test rugby?

One of English rugby’s brightest young talents is already generating huge excitement.

We ask Ugo what makes Noah Caluori such a special prospect and whether he is ready to make the enormous leap into Test rugby.

Is it a case of protecting a young player and allowing him to develop – or, if you’re good enough, are you old enough?

How do England bridge the gap?

South Africa and New Zealand continue to set the benchmark at the top of the international game.

So where are England currently falling short?

We discuss whether the difference is talent, depth, cohesion or execution under pressure – and what needs to change for England to arrive at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia capable of consistently challenging the world’s leading sides.

Plus, Ugo gives us his predictions for the new Premiership campaign and the England players he expects to enhance their reputations this season.

Ugo Monye was speaking on behalf of LiveScore Bet – the home of NFL betting. Visit https://www.livescorebet.com/uk/ for the latest NFL odds and offers.

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