Background
Cohen was born in Northampton. He was educated at Kingsthorpe Upper School. 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.”
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 at the Eternity nightclub in Northampton which Peter Cohen managed. He died a month later from head injuries sustained in the assault. Three men were found guilty of violent conduct.
Cohen is married to Abbie Cohen (Blayney), with twin daughters Harriette and Isabelle (born 2008). He is clinically deaf, with about 30 to 33 percent hearing loss in each ear, and has been involved in efforts to make rugby more accessible to the hard of hearing, especially young deaf players.
Read more about this topic: Ben Cohen (rugby Union)
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