No old pals act for Monye as he targets England spot

Quins wing Monye scored a last-gasp try which outside-half Nick Evans converted from the touchline to secure an amazing 26-26 draw with Leicester in front of a record 50,000 Guinness Premiership crowd at Twickenham at the weekend.

That try cancelled out the first-half error Monye made, which gifted Tigers a score, and now the Quins flyer needs to improve his game with the Six Nations championship looming.

Monye and Sackey were England's wings during the disappointing November series of Test matches and they both possess lightning pace. However, both men know they can take nothing for granted with team manager Martin Johnson in charge and that sets up Saturday's head-to-head nicely.

Monye said: "It was a bitter-sweet day for me against Leicester. I know what got me into the England team and that was playing consistently well for Harlequins and nothing changes.

"I play against another good winger in Paul Sackey on Sunday. It is a battle I am looking forward to. He is a good friend but is on the opposite side and if I can pull out good performances, I like to think I have got a chance.

"I am happy to have fulfilled my dream of playing for England but it has only given me a hunger to do it more. I am certainly not satisfied just to have played for my country and ticked that box — I want to represent my country as many times as I can.

"My form has been good for the club. That was just one mistake [in the first half] but I am really happy how things are going at Harlequins."

Monye paid tribute to Evans, whose drop goal had beaten Stade Francais two week earlier, for having the nerve to succeed with a touchline conversion at the death at Twickenham.

"Nick has had a huge impact on creating this environment at the club," added Monye. "He is one of the best fly-halves in the world. Just look at the last three weeks and what he has produced for Harlequins is massive. He just keeps proving what a class player he is."

Quins plan to repeat their "Big Game" at Twickenham for the next two years and will attempt to fill all 82,000 seats next December, when they could face Gloucester, Bath or Northampton.

The club estimate they only made £4,000 more than the average £150,000 they earn from games at their own Stoop ground, as they spent the rest of Saturday's income on making the match the biggest sporting event in London over Christmas.

"Rugby is a small sport in this country and we have got to sell it," said Mark Evans, the Quins chief executive. "People don't turn up to sports clubs on a whim, it is because they have got a connection. If we get 82,000 next year and the profit margin increases, we will just spend it on more fireworks."

Elsewhere, London Irish director of rugby Toby Booth was left frustrated as his side dropped down to second place after losing 16-13 at Saracens.

He said: "We contributed to our own downfall, it's very disappointing. Sarries were good in certain aspects, they bullied us at the contact area. We couldn't get any rhythm or control."

Wasps were beaten 31-3 at Sale on Boxing Day to leave them ninth in the table and 14 points away from fourth place and qualification for the play-offs. They are struggling to deal with the England Elite Player Squad regulation, which means those players must be rested for one game between the ninth and eleventh rounds of the Premiership, a three-week period that ends with a home game against Quins.