Ben Christopher Cohen,[1] MBE (born 14 September 1978) is a former England rugby union player and activist. He began his professional career with Northampton Saints in 1996; in 2007 he moved to France to represent Brive before returning to England two years later to join Sale Sharks. Cohen was also a member of the England national team that won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. His main position was winger. In May 2011, Cohen retired from professional rugby, and will focus on The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation he created to combat homophobia and bullying. Contents

Background Edit

Cohen was born in Northampton. He was educated at Kingsthorpe Upper School. (Kingsthorpe College as known today) This was not a rugby playing school and at age 12 he first started playing with Northampton Old Scouts RFC Regarding his background, Cohen has stated, "My family's not Jewish, but a few generations back they used to be. I think it was my great-grandfather that married a non-Jewish girl and broke with tradition."[2] In November 2000, Cohen's father Peter Cohen, brother of English World Cup winning football player George Cohen, was fatally injured while protecting an attack victim[3] at the Eternity nightclub in Northampton which Peter Cohen managed. He died a month later from head injuries sustained in the assault.[4] Three men were found guilty of violent conduct. Cohen was married to Abby Blayney, with twin daughters Harriette and Isabelle (born 2008).[5] He is clinically deaf, with about 30 to 33 percent hearing loss in each ear,[6][7] and has been involved in efforts to make rugby more accessible to the hard of hearing, especially young deaf players.[8] During March 2011 High and Mighty, the big and tall menswear specialist, appointed Cohen as the new face of the brand for 2011.[9]

Northampton Edit

When he was 17 he joined Northampton Saints and made his first team debut against Treorchy in the 1996/97 season, following which his name was rarely left off the team sheet. Cohen had long been linked with a move away from the club.[10][11][12] Whilst at Northampton he started in the victorious 2000 Heineken Cup Final as they defeated Munster.[13]

Brive Edit

Sale Sharks Edit

In March 2009, Sale Sharks announced the signing of Cohen from Brive on a two-year contract. The move was called a "coup" by Sale's director of rugby, Kingsley Jones. At the time Cohen believed that he could make a return to international rugby through representing Sale.[19] Unable to participate in Sale's pre-season warm-up matches for the 2009/10 season, Cohen made his competitive debut for Sale in September 2009 in a Guinness Premiership fixture against Exeter.[20] The following month, Cohen scored his first try for Sale in a 36–17 defeat to Toulouse in the Heineken Cup.[21] Cohen is one of the club's senior players and plays a role in developing Sale's young players. In September 2010 he noted that "I'm coming towards the end of my career and I've learnt a hell of a lot over the course of my career from some of the best coaches in the world. I think you've got to pass some of that experience down ... You have to have that blend of experience and youth and helping the younger guys out is something that I enjoy doing anyway."[22] In late December, Cohen picked up a knee injury during Sale's 54–21 defeat to Leicester the side-lined him for six to eight weeks.[23] It was announced in March that Cohen's contract with Sale would not be renewed and he would be leaving the club at the end of the season. He commented that "Sale don't want me anymore because they're trying to spend more money in the pack".[24] Cohen, who represented Sale in over 50 matches, also said that if he could not secure a contract with a Premiership club he would consider retiring.[24] On 15 May 2011 Cohen announced his retirement from the sport to focus on his anti-bullying campaign.[25]

Representative career Edit

The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation Edit

In 2011, Cohen founded The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation, Inc., which is, according to its website, "the world's first foundation dedicated to raising awareness of the long-term, damaging effects of bullying, and funding those doing real-world work to stop it". Following his retirement he announced plans to focus on the Foundation.[25][27]

Personal life Edit

Cohen was married to Abby Blayney in 2003, and has twin daughters with her, whom they named Harriette and Isabelle.[28] The couple have been estranged since 2014, and divorced in March 2016.[29] In January 2016 it was announced, he and his former Strictly Come Dancing dance partner and now girlfriend, Kristina Rihanoff, have had their first child together, a daughter named Milena Rihanoff-Cohen.[29][30]

Status as a gay icon Edit

TV appearances Edit

See also Edit