Former England star Ugo Monye will hope his days of side stepping on the wing will help him succeed on the BBC Strictly Come Dancing stage.
The 38-year-old scored two tries in 14 caps for his country and was selected for the British and Irish Lions Tour to South Africa in 2009, making two Test appearances and scoring in the 28-9 win in the third game.
After retiring as a one-club man in 2015 having enjoyed a 13-year career with Harlequins which saw him win the 2012 Premiership title, Monye turned his attention to working as a pundit in the media.
“What’s going on! Yes – I’m strictly going dancing,” said the BBC Radio 5 Live presenter.
“It’s now my time to show everyone that I’ve got more than just dad dancing moves.
“I love an outfit at the best of times, so bring on the sequins!”
Monye regularly co-hosts the BBC’s Rugby Union Weekly podcast and in July was named as one of the new team captains on TV show A Question of Sport.
Monye will replace the old regulars which included England’s 2003 Six Nations Grand Slam and World Cup winner Matt Dawson, who came second in the 2006 edition of Strictly.
The new-look show will see Paddy McGuinness take over the presenting duties from Sue Barker while Monye’s fellow captain is former hockey star Sam Quek, with ex-cricketer Phil Tufnell also moving on.
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Monye joins a long list of rugby union players to have tried their hand at Ballroom and Latin dancing on the popular Saturday night show.
Dawson, Monye’s fellow winger Ben Cohen, his BT Sport colleague Austin Healey plus former Wales international Gavin Henson and Scotland flyer Thom Evans have all strutted their stuff live on prime-time TV.
Monye regularly fronts ITV’s coverage of the Guinness Six Nations and was also seen on the BBC covering the Rugby Sevens at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where both Great Britain’s men’s and women’s sides finished fourth.
