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World Cup winner makes startling revelation about try-scoring success

Dan Carter of New Zealand is tackled by Matt Dawson (R) and Ben Cohen (L) (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Former England World Cup winner Ben Cohen has made a remarkable admission as to why he scored so many tries during his career.

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The winger, who is second in England’s all-time try-scoring list alongside Will Greenwood with 31, has 46% hearing and said that he could not hear anybody to pass the ball to.

The former Northampton Saints and Sale Sharks man made this revelation on Lorraine, as he was promoting a sign language app StorySign.

Cohen played for England 57 times, and started on the left wing in the victorious 2003 World Cup final. He retired in 2011, and has since worked with the National Deaf Children’s Society’s Raising the Bar campaign, which seeks to help deaf children showcase their talents in the performing arts.

Speaking previously about his condition with British Deaf News, Cohen said: “I’m clinically Deaf. I’ve had tinnitus – ringing in my ear – my whole life, but it doesn’t both me. It’s part of my life.
I miss things in conversations. In fact I missed the entire 2003 World Rugby Cup speeches! But I’ve never let my deafness restrict me. It ended up making me one of the top rated point scorers because I never heard players calling out! That meant I never passed the ball!

“After all, rugby was an elite sport and I didn’t go to a private school but I worked extra hard and never let my disability get in the way.

“I knocked on a lot of doors and forced people to notice me. You simply have to work your ass off – there’s no other way of putting it. It’s about what you’re willing to sacrifice. I missed out on going out with my friends and other things growing up, but I did it so I could learn more and grow to be better.”

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SK 28 minutes ago
South African rugby's top heavy house of cards

I think everyone knows that the SA teams are prioritising the URC which is why they have been so bad in Europe. The champions cup group stage fixtures couldnt come at a worse time for SA franchises. They come hot on the heels of the Autumn internationals and in December and Jan when its coldest in Europe and as hot as it gets in SA. During this period SA franchises have to leap from Africa to Europe one week after the next. SA franchises sometimes have to hop from Europe back to Africa and then back to Europe in 3 to 4 weeks. Mandatory Springbok rest periods are opted into by franchises to keep the players fit as the Springbok players cannot play year-round and injuries take their toll. Fatigue also sets in for players who have played non-stop since March as there is no global calendar. They don’t get a chance to regroup again until the six nations. SA teams prioritise what’s in front of them. The Springboks are top heavy and SA franchises are in Transition between the new and older generation. There are lots of youngsters coming through but they need more time at the top level. Coaching is also in transition in SA Rugby with many coaches at a young age. The age group levels SA has underperformed but the talent is there. Its coming through at franchise level and these players are getting great experience playing in a variety of comps. I would hardly call it a house of cards though. Succession planning has already become a reality. At Prop the Springboks are already replacing the seniors, at Scrum Half the Springboks are building depth and at 10 they have loads of options now and at 4 and 5 the Boks have used a host of players in recent years. Rassie has a plan for 2027 and the best coaching staff at international level. He has some difficult questions in front of him when it comes to the squad but is finding answers at the moment. Yes its possible Springbok performances could dip this year and perhaps in 2026 however I would not bet against them continuing to dominate while in transition. There were similar doubts cast about them last year and they proved the doubters wrong.

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