Set for Sale: Ben Cohen © Diarmid Courreges

England World Cup winner Ben Cohen is quitting Brive to return home for 'family reasons'.

The former Northampton Saints winger has signed a two-year deal to join Guinness Premiership side Sale Sharks when his current contract runs out in the summer.

He joined Brive in December 2007 after buying out his contract at Northampton amidst an acrimonious end to his time at Franklin's Gardens, when he was overlooked for the club captaincy in favour of Bruce Reihana.

He appeared settled in France - where he played alongside former Saints colleagues Steve Thompson and Damien Browne - and was voted one of the top five overseas signings in 2007/8.

He has been a regular starter for the Top 14 side this season as Brive have flourished amid a plethora of other British signings.

England fly-half Andy Goode arrived this season, while fellow England international Riki Flutey has signed for 2009/10.

But family reasons have now ended Cohen's stay in France, with the powerful and popular winger now destined for a two-year stint at Sale Sharks, where his new head coach will be Jason Robinson - his fellow World Cup winning wing.

             

Cohen has won 57 caps for England but told FrenchRugbyClub.com in an exclusive interview earlier this season that he felt playing in France would prevent him adding to that.

"I still want to play for England," he said. "I would love to play. I'm only 30 and playing good rugby out here. I'm getting in the team most weeks but you've got to be realistic and you have to face up to it.

"Would I play for England while playing in France? The answer is 'no', I don't think it will happen. But that's what happens when you leave your country and come somewhere else. You are out of sight and out of mind.

"I will always have the aspiration of playing for my country, and I am still good enough and still playing well, but its just one of those things," he said.

Cohen, England's second highest try scorer with 31, added: "My contract is up at the end of this year with an option for a third year, and I'm happy at Brive. I'm enjoying it. They are a club that are going places and that's where I'm at at the moment - but beyond that I don't know. That's the life of a sportsman I suppose."

When asked whether he would fancy a big-money move back to England he said cash would never be his motivation. "I won't ever get on the gravy train and just take the money and not enjoy it. I think you've got to come and try and make a difference, and earn the respect of your peers and work very hard. That's what I'm like and that's what I'm doing here (at Brive)," he said.

Now, for whatever reason - although a Brive spokesman said it was due to 'family reasons' - he is turning his back on Top 14 for a return to the Guinness Premiership.

He will undoubtedly be an asset to Sale, although his departure from Brive may now pave the way for a more earnest pursuit of Leicester's Geordan Murphy.

Read the full Ben Cohen interview.