Former Northampton Saints star’s autobiography will be a ‘heartbreaking and inspirational’ read, say publishers

The book, according to publishers Ebury Publishing, will be “compelling and deeply personal” and will reveal how Ben coped with the death of his father after he was attacked at a nightclub in Northampton and how he used it as motivation in later life.

Deputy publisher Andrew Goodfellow said it was an inspirational story.

“Ben’s story is a heartbreaking tale of an ordinary family ripped apart by a sudden brutal act and how Ben used this unbearable loss as motivation to become what he and his father had always wanted – the best in the world.

“It goes without saying that this is a book about so much more than sport and Ben has had to delve back into some very dark times to tell that story. We are very proud to have it on the Ebury list.”

A spokesman for the publisher added that the book will reveal how Ben was in the middle of an England press conference when Clive Woodward had to deliver the devastating news.

“The inquest into Ben’s father’s death lasted five months and it was a year before the family were in court, facing Peter’s assailants.

“Ben put all of the anger and pain from his father’s death into his rugby. Fast and powerful on the wing, he was soon the best in the world in his position and a cornerstone of the England team, culminating in the legendary World Cup win in Sydney in 2003.

“And yet he always felt like an outsider. Most people didn’t know that Ben is clinically deaf. His sixth sense for the game got him through on the pitch, but off it his poor hearing was often taken for arrogance.

“The book is an inspirational story of passion and pain; of the highs of achieving your goals, and the grief of losing someone you can never get back.”

Speaking after the announcement that Ebury Publishing had bought the world rights to the book, Ben said: “I wanted to work with Ebury to tell the story of my rise to the top of the rugby world.

“The story has a backdrop of family tragedy and it was a difficult story to tell, but I hope to do myself and my family justice with this book.”