Brive said that the move, which will be completed this summer, was motivated by family reasons.

The 30-year-old, a World Cup winner with England in 2003, joined Brive from Northampton in July 2007 after buying out his contract.

Cohen was the second most used player at Brive this season.

He left Northampton in September 2007 after losing out to Bruce Reihana for the club captaincy, buying himself out of his contract so he could join Leicester.

However that move broke down because his testimonial earnings from Northampton would have broken their salary cap.

His move back to England bucks a recent trend which has seen Premiership players, such as James Haskell, Riki Flutey, Tom Palmer and Andy Goode, leave the Premiership to play in France.

Cohen joins a club which will have former England team-mate Jason Robinson as its head coach next season.

The Sharks scored through Rory Lamont in the first half, while four Charlie Hodgson penalties and one from Luke McAlister kept the champions at bay.

The Tigers also crossed with Johne Murphy before the break but Andy Goode suffered an off day with the boot.

Leicester’s lack of discipline also cost them as Sale leapfrogged the Tigers to go fourth in the league.

Sale have not lost at Edgeley Park since a 26-25 defeat against Leicester in April, while the visitors’ losing bonus point kept them fifth in the table, level on points with Harlequins.

The endeavour was high in the opening period but both sides were struggling to find any cohesion and set-piece and handling errors abounded.

Sale raced into an early lead with two Hodgson penalties before Goode slotted his first kick for the Tigers.

The Sharks thought they had clinched the first try on the half hour mark when Julien Laharrague rumbled over but the referee ruled he was held up.

From the ensuing scrum, though, Sale were awarded a penalty and the Sharks went away with another three points.

Shortly after, Goode made a promising foray into Sale’s half and was rewarded with a penalty, but pulled his kick left of the posts.

But the game exploded into life just before the break when things finally clicked for both sides.

Hodgson’s chip launched a flowing Sale attack involving former All Black McAlister, and French pair Sebastien Chabal and Sebastien Bruno before the fly-half fired a long pass out left to send wing Lamont crashing over.

Leicester followed through with their own threat almost immediately from the kick-off, when Goode broke left from a scrum in midfield and looped around Ollie Smith to find Johne Murphy who sliced over in the left corner.

The Tigers built on the momentum after the break and Goode landed a second penalty, shortly after missing with a drop-goal attempt.

Sale hit back with a spell of possession but looked set to be punished for failing to convert pressure into points when Leicester earned a penalty upfield.

Goode pointed at the sticks but pushed his kick right and Sale’s fragile three-point lead remained intact until the Tigers number 10 slotted a long penalty with 20 minutes left.

Instantly, though, the Tigers forwards gave away another penalty and Hodgson reclaimed the lead for Sale.

Tigers wing Tom Varndell went close to a try but was bundled into the corner flag as he sniffed the line and Goode hit the post with a penalty as Leicester squandered their mounting territorial advantage.

And as the end loomed, McAlister slotted a game-clinching penalty to seal Leicester’s demise.

The iconic 30-year-old, who has 37 caps and five tries for France, was Philippe Saint-Andre’s first signing when he joined the Edgeley Park club in 2004.

Chabal can play at number eight and second row and is one of the game’s most recognisable faces.

“Although he had received big money offers to go and play in France, he has committed his future to Sale,” said coach Saint-Andre.

“‘Seabass’ is a great player and is a fans’ favourite too, he always gives his best. He will play a big part in the future of Sale and we are all delighted that he has signed a new deal.”

Chabal’s new contract also includes the option of another year.

The powerful forward is a huge star in his home country and her admitted avoiding the glare of publicity was one of the reasons for him signing a new contract with Sale.

“I have enjoyed my time in England and am able to get on with playing rugby which I enjoy,” he said. “If I lived and played in France, I think my wife would go crazy with all the supporter attention I receive there.”

Sale head coach Kingsley Jones confirmed the deal to BBC Wales’ Scrum V programme on Sunday.

“Brent is suited to the Premiership,” Jones said. “He’s big, tough, resilient – we need people like that in our team and I’m sure he’ll bring an edge.”

Cockbain, who joined the Ospreys from the Celtic Warriors in 2004, was keen to join Sale last summer but had a transfer request turned down.
The 6ft 8in Australian-born second rower was left out of Wales’ squad for the World Cup, with three locks who did make it – Ian Evans, Alun Wyn Jones and Ian Gough – all on the Ospreys’ books.

Cockbain played for the Barbarians in Saturday’s 22-5 win over South Africa at Twickenham and signalled his split from the Ospreys by wearing socks in the colours of former team Pontypridd.

Players invited to play for the Baa-Baas wear the famous black and white striped jersey but wear the socks of their domestic regional or club side.

But Cockbain will now be donning the colours of Sale in the Premiership, with Jones delighted to strengthen their options in the second row.

“We’ve got Dean Schofield in that role at the moment, who is very good for us, we’ve also got the Argentinean Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe but obviously he’s an overseas player,” Jones added.

“So if we did have an injury to Schofield we’ve got no one to push into that middle row there of that type of stature – a big, strong, pain-in-the-backside sort of lock that Brent is.

“He’s the type of guy that you don’t want to play against and after the game everyone complains about him!”

“I’ve always looked up to Charlie,” said McAlister, who has signed a two-year contract.

“I enjoy the way he plays. I am happy to play anywhere. I’ll do the best I can for the team.”

McAlister, who won the last of his 24 caps in the All Blacks’ World Cup quarter-final defeat by France in Cardiff last month, admitted he agonised over his decision to move abroad, which essentially means forfeiting his national team jersey for the time being.

He is the third high-profile New Zealander to join the Premiership for this season, with prop Carl Hayman linking up with Newcastle and Saracens signing second row Chris Jack, and he anticipates more following suit as a result of the diminishing appeal of the All Black jersey.

“It was a huge decision,” he said.

“It took me five or six months to make it.

“But I felt it was time for a change. I wanted to play overseas and explore the world and I have backed my decision. I don’t want to look back.

“I’m probably one of the youngest to do it but I am sure there will be many more following.

“The game is changing so much. You grow up wanting to be an All Black but ways of thinking are changing and it’s only a short career.”

Although he has abandoned hope of adding to his All Black honours in the short term, McAlister admits it would be an incentive to play in the 2011 World Cup in his native New Zealand.

“That would be wonderful,” said McAlister, who will be 26 when his contract with Sale runs out.

“It would be good to play again if I was to go back but I can’t expect to.

“That’s for the future. My focus is now on Sale and whatever happens in the future happens. I really want to do my best for these guys.”

McAlister is thought to have turned down Munster and Toulouse to return to the north-west of England, where he lived for 10 years from the age of four while his father Charlie played rugby league for Oldham, Castleford and Sheffield Eagles.

He was a member of the Manchester United academy and remains a big Red Devils fan.

McAlister, who played in four of the All Blacks’ five matches at the World Cup, is likely to travel with the Sharks squad for Saturday’s European Challenge Cup tie against Petrarca before making his debut the following week.

“He will have a full week of training and we will make a decision during next week,” said director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre.

“He will probably be involved in the 22.”

McAlister will make his home debut against Bayonne in Sale’s next match at Edgeley Park on December 13.

The giant prop starred for England in their run to the World Cup final.

Mark Cueto, who came within inches of scoring a try for England in their 15-6 defeat by South Africa, also returns.

They are joined by France’s Sebastien Chabal and Argentina’s Ignacio and Juan Fernandez Lobbe as Sale try to bounce back from their loss to Cardiff Blues.

Sale went down 32-15 in their opening EDF Energy Cup game at Cardiff on Friday, prompting Sharks boss Philippe Saint-Andre to turn to his big guns to keep alive the club’s hopes in the competition.

“We were blitzed in the first half hour at Cardiff on Friday and were on the back foot for too long,” he said.

“My French and England international players are now back in full training and they will all play against Bath.

“If Cardiff lose at Leicester this weekend our group in the EDF Energy Cup is wide open.

“That means we need to beat both Bath and Leicester to stand any chance of progressing to the semi-finals.”

The Blues scored five tries on the way to victory to get their EDF Energy Cup campaign off to a fine start.

First-half tries from Jason Spice, Thomas (2) and captain Xavier Rush secured a bonus point, with Tom James crossing late-on.

Sale did fight back with second-half tries from Lee Thomas and Rory Lamont but it was too little, too late.

The visitors, missing World Cup stars Mark Cueto, Andrew Sheridan and Sebastien Chabal, looked out of sorts from the very first whistle.

Cardiff Blues made a scintillating start with Spice scoring their opening try of the evening within four minutes.

The scrum-half went over in the corner, finishing off Deiniol Jones’ powerful break down the wing.

They could have been further ahead a few minutes later, but Charlie Hodgson reacted well to get to James’ chip ahead of the chasing Cardiff Blues attackers.

But despite the intense early pressure, the visitors got themselves on the score-sheet with Lee Thomas sending over a penalty for 5-3.

Those were the last points Sale scored for the rest of the half as the Blues ran riot for the remaining 25 minutes.

Outside-half Nicky Robinson edged them further ahead with a penalty before Wales’ record try scorer Gareth Thomas took centre stage.

Thomas scored two tries and was influential in setting up another with the Blues going into half-time 27-3 up.

First he cut through feeble Sale defence to open his account with the Blues in only his second appearance for the Welsh region.

And his second try was more impressive, with Thomas finishing off a stunning counter-attack which started with captain Rush and ended with ‘Alfie’ diving over in the corner.

The Blues secured a valuable bonus point within 30 minutes, with Rush getting his name on the scoresheet.

New Zealander Rush crossed courtesy of a fine break from his side with Gareth Thomas selling the Sale defence a wonderful dummy just outside his own 22, before releasing full-back Ben Blair.

Blair was tackled just a few feet short of his own line, but managed to off-load to Rush who touched down the Blues’ fourth try.

Robinson sent over the conversion, his second of the half to compound Sale’s misery.

With the game won, the second half lacked the intensity of the first and it was Sale who were next to score.

Former Blues centre Lee Thomas scored it, diving over from close range following Julien Laharrague’s fine break.

Thomas sent over the conversion to reduce the deficit further.

But it was the Blues who had the last say, with James catching a cross-kick to score in injury time to cement victory for his side.

——————————————————————————–
Cardiff Blues: Blair, James, Shanklin, G. Thomas, J. Roberts, N. Robinson, Spice, Jenkins, R. Thomas, G. Powell, Jones, Tito, Molitika, Sowden-Taylor, Rush.
Replacements: Macleod for Shanklin (51), Rees for Spice (53), Yapp for Jenkins (63), G. Williams for R. Thomas (70), White for Jones (70), Sidoli for Tito (63).
Not Used: R. Williams.

Sale: Laharrague, Lamont, Keil, Thomas, Ripol, Hodgson, Martens, Faure, Bruno, Bourrust, Schofield, Cox, C. Jones, Lund, Bonner-Evans.
Replacements: Mayor for Keil (41), Hanley for Ripol (75), Wigglesworth for Martens (51), Evans for Bourrust (51), Hills for Schofield (58), Day for C. Jones (35), Briggs for Lund (60).

Xavier Rush, Robin Sowden-Taylor and Maama Molitika make up a new back row, while Jason Spice and Nicky Robinson return at half-back.

Sale welcome Sebastien Bruno straight back into the starting XV following his fringe involvement at the World Cup.

Mark Cueto, Andrew Sheridan and Sebastien Chabal are not ready to play.

Cardiff Blues coach Dai Young, meanwhile, says he is confident about his side’s hopes in this year’s Anglo-Welsh competition.

 ”This is the strongest squad I have had since I’ve been in charge of the region,” said Young.

“I’ve been banging the drum now for a while saying that we were improving over the past few years. We are not the finished product yet but we have enough strength in depth to be competitive and we are in the competition to win it.”

The Blues reached the semi-final stages of the competition last season, eventually losing to fellow Welsh region the Ospreys.

And Young is relishing the chance to lock horns with the old enemy once again.

He said: “We enjoyed the experience last season. Sale are one of the strongest teams in England and we know they will come here to play.

“An away victory puts them in a very strong position and they will focus on victory and will fight for that.”

——————————————————————————–

Blues: Blair; James, Shanklin, G Thomas, Roberts; Robinson, Spice; Jenkins, R Thomas, Powell, Jones, Tito, Molitika, Sowden-Taylor, Rush (capt).
Replacements: Yapp, G Williams, Sidoli, White, Rees, Macleod, R Williams.

Sale Sharks: J Laharrague, R Lamont, R Keil, L Thomas, O Ripol, C Hodgson, S Martens, L Faure, S Bruno, B Bourrust, D Schofield, S Cox, C Jones, M Lund, N Bonner-Evans.
Replacements: N Briggs, B Evans/S Turner, C Day, M Hills, R Wigglesworth, C Mayor, E Seveali’I/ S Hanley