Rugby-Ireland look to England's 2003 World Cup winners, with good reason

Rugby Union - Six Nations Championship - Ireland v England - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - March 18, 2023 Ireland's Johnny Sexton and teammates celebrate winning the Six Nations Championship and the Grand Slam with the trophies REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne

DUBLIN (Reuters) - As Irish thoughts immediately turned to the World Cup after securing the Six Nations Grand Slam on Saturday, captain Johnny Sexton not for the first time brought up England's all-conquering team of two decades ago.

Ireland's talismanic flyhalf is clearly seeking to draw inspiration from Martin Johnson's great England team and with good reason as the two sides headed into the respective World Cups in unerringly similar form as the game's top-ranked side.