Monye, 25, will link up with the senior England squad at Pennyhill Park tonight after being called up by Martin Johnson as a replacement for the injured James Simpson-Daniel.

The promotion has been long awaited - Monye burst onto the scene in 2002 - and comes in recognition of a blistering start to the new season.

Monye has scored five tries in seven Guinness Premiership and Heineken Cup games, and showed his versatility in last weekend’s victory over Ulster by switching to outside centre.

But with Simpson-Daniel and Tom Varndell no longer in the England set-up, Monye and Wasps’ Paul Sackey are the only recognised wingers left in the 32-man squad.

England open their autumn campaign against the Pacific Islands on November 8 and Richards said: “I would like him to start. I’d like to think he would be given a chance.

“He has been playing well and he has scored some tries you wouldn’t expect other people to score.

“He has found more consistency and we felt he deserved his opportunity. He has got that chance and it is up to him to take it.”

Monye, a former sprint champion, has been a regular fixture in the Quins team since the 2003-04 season and despite impressive performance at England Sevens and England Saxons level, his Test aspirations were often undermined by injuries.

But Richards was always excited by Monye’s potential and he knew that a run of games would bring the best out of him.

“When Ugo first came onto the scene he was 18 and tipped to be playing for England within two years. It was a surprise to me when I came here in 2005 that he wasn’t,” said Richards.

“Sometimes you can get drawn into a position where you don’t even push for it because it hasn’t happened.

“Now he has become far more ambitious and the way we play suits him. He has come into his own and that is why England are looking at him.”