SAINTS: Cohen's the man to fear

Published on Thursday 22 October 2009 09:43

Sale boss Kingsley Jones reckons Saints will fear a revitalised Ben Cohen when he makes his eagerly-awaited return to Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.

Cohen will make his first appearance at the Gardens since his controversial departure in September 2007, when the World Cup winner refused to play for the club after being overlooked for the captaincy.

After a move to Leicester fell through, Cohen spent an unhappy two seasons in France with Brive before returning to the Guinness Premiership with Sale in the summer.

Cohen has admitted to being nervous about the reception he will get when he runs out at the Gardens, but Jones feels he is getting back to his best, which should worry Saints.

Jones said: "The potential with him is massive – it's just a case of making sure Ben doesn't put too much pressure on himself and getting him in the right frame of mind, getting him confident. If that's the case then people will fear Ben Cohen.

"In our two European games, Ben has put in his best performances for the club since joining.

"He's got a little monkey off his back in scoring his first try for us in Toulouse. I think that was important for him and for the team as it helped boost his confidence.

"I think Ben is one of those players who really needs to be confident as he puts a lot of pressure on himself because he's a winner and sets the highest standards."

Cohen, who went to Kingsthorpe Upper School, started playing rugby with Old Scouts before joining Saints as a 16-year-old and spending 11 years with the club as a professional, winning the Heineken Cup and scoring 101 tries in 276 games.

Cohen still lives in the county with his wife Abby and twin two-year-old daughters Harriette and Isabelle and commutes to Manchester daily.

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SAINTS: Cohen's the man to fear

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