16 May, 2011
The 32 year-old wing, who scored 31 tries in 57 Tests, has turned down the chance to prolong his playing career and will instead devote his energies to setting up the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation.
Instead Cohen will focus on heading up the Ben Cohen Stand Up Foundation, an organisation set up to tackle bullying and homophobia.
"To be honest, I would never have imagined my career was going to move in this direction after my professional rugby career, but here we are - it's happening," he said.
Cohen is the latest of England's 2003 veterans to hang up his boots.
The only members of England's starting XV from the World Cup final victory over Australia still playing are Jonny Wilkinson, Steve Thompson, Lewis Moody and Mike Tindall, though Josh Lewsey made a brief comeback for Wasps this season.
Cohen made his Northampton debut at 17 and was part of the Saints team that won the 2000 European Cup, the same season in which he made his England debut.
Quick, powerful and a top-class finisher, Cohen became an integral member of the England side that went on to win the World Cup in Australia.
Cohen played on for England until 2006 but he struggled to hit those heights again. He spent 18 months with Brive before returning to the Aviva Premiership to join Sale, all the while living in Northampton.
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