Martin Johnson was the name on England fans’ lips in 2003 as he led his nation to their first Grand Slam triumph for eight years on a day to remember in Dublin.
Sir Clive Woodward’s side toppled Ireland 42-6 at Lansdowne Road as England made it a brilliant clean sweep through scores from Lawrence Dallaglio, Dan Luger, Mike Tindall and two from Will Greenwood.
That year secured England’s third Guinness Six Nations triumph in just four years and now 20 years on from that day in the Irish capital, we look at what Johnson and his teammates have been up to ever since.
15. Josh Lewsey
Full-back Josh Lewsey donned the England jersey on 55 occasions and opted to add brain power to brawn while he was still playing, completing a postgraduate diploma in law in 2005.
The Wasps legend played his final game for his country at the 2007 World Cup and has since gone on to broaden his horizons, setting up a leadership development and business consultancy firm and swapping try-scoring for deal broking after a glittering career.
He is now the CEO Asia-Pacific at Teneo Financial Advisory after a three-year stint at the WRU on the Group Executive Board.
14. Jason Robinson
Jason Robinson struck fear into Six Nations defenders and has since gone on to disseminate his expertise to the next generation.
The former back three flyer coached in rugby league before having a brief spell in charge of former club Sale Sharks, also watching watch sons, Lewis Tierney and Patrick Robinson, thrive in rugby league and professional cycling.
More recently, he is also an ambassador for Land Rover and joined forces with the Jamaica Rugby League squad to help further expand the sport he enjoyed a brilliant career in for Wigan Warriors and Great Britain.
13. Will Greenwood
A familiar face to rugby fans around the globe, Will Greenwood’s analysis and expertise has long been ringing in our eardrums since he entered the media world after retiring in 2005.
The former centre worked for ITV during the 2007 World Cup and has worked at Sky Sports as a key voice in their coverage across their rugby coverage, also writing a regular column in the Daily Telegraph.
The 50-year-old was one of the protagonists in Sky Sports’ School of Hard Knocks, alongside British & Irish Lions teammate Scott Quinnell and now runs a TikTok rugby channel named rugbymates.
12. Mike Tindall
Mike Tindall’s had a right royal time since retiring and his off-field life has been well-documented, getting engaged to Zara Phillips in 2010 before tying the knot the following year.
The couple have had three children, Mia, Lena and Lucas since and Tindall also continues to make media appearances for a number of outlets, as well as being an ambassador for multiple companies and charities including The Midlands Air Ambulance, UFXMarkets and Rugby for Heroes.
He is a co-host of The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast alongside James Haskell and Alex Payne and finished fourth in the 2022 edition of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here, becoming just the second rugby player to enter the show, after Haskell in 2019.
11. Ben Cohen
Ben Cohen has dabbled in all sorts since retiring and it was the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing that laid the foundations for some of his future ventures.
Cohen and partner Kristina Rihanoff finished eighth, but continued their life away from the dance floor together, and they wedded in 2022 – with the former winger also appearing on reality shows The Jump and And They’re Off!
He has also been a trailblazer in the campaign against bullying, founding the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation in 2011 that seeks to raise awareness into the psychological impact of abuse such as homophobia.
Cohen will line up in the upcoming series of The Real Full Monty 2023 in support of ex-wife Abby, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
10. Jonny Wilkinson
The 2003 Rugby World Cup hero has gone on to follow in Greenwood’s footsteps in the media world, working currently as an ITV studio pundit at the 2023 Rugby World Cup alongside fellow Guinness Six Nations greats Sergio Parisse and Brian O’Driscoll.
The England legend also launched his own men’s fashion label, Fineside, in 2011 as well as quilling newspaper columns for The Times and releasing a number of books.
In 2013, he married his girlfriend of eight years in Bandol, to the west of then club Toulon, in a private ceremony in front of just two guests.
9. Matt Dawson
The younger generation will indelibly associate Matt Dawson – the man who provided the pinpoint pass to Wilkinson for that immortality-sealing drop goal – with popular BBC sports quiz show A Question of Sport.
The former scrum-half was a team captain in the Sue Barker-presented era of the programme from 2004 until 2021 but has also dabbled in other areas of the media, appearing on Strictly (where he finished second) and Celebrity MasterChef in 2006.
Dawson continues to work for the BBC, commentating on England games and regularly partaking in their Rugby Daily podcast, as well as writing columns.
1.Graham Rowntree
Coaching beckoned for former front-rower Graham Rowntree after retiring from international action back in 2007.
The once formidable prop began his coaching career with Leicester Tigers, before eight years as forwards coach with England and forwards coach roles during both the 2013 and 2017 British & Irish Lions tours.
Rowntree has now returned back to club coaching and after brief stints with Harlequins and Georgia, was forwards coach at Munster from 2019-2022, before taking on the head coach role – winning the United Rugby Championship in his first season in charge.
2. Steve Thompson
Two of England’s triumphant 2003 front-rowers have taken markedly different paths since calling an end to their playing days, with hooker Thompson jet-setting off to Dubai.
The 45-year-old acted as an ambassador for the Christina Noble Children’s Foundation and has also been appointed as sports ambassador for security and facilities management services company Transguard.
Thompson was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in December 2020 and on 23 September 2021, he announced his wish to donate his brain for CTE research.
3. Jason Leonard
England’s formerly most capped player has also led the way off the field since retiring in 2004, undertaking a considerable raft of charity work through several foundations.
Leonard earned 114 caps for England but recently saw that total beaten by scrum-half Ben Youngs, who has now amassed 124 caps and counting.
The former prop has been holding annual dinners since 2004 – which have raised more than £2 million for charities and good causes – as well as founding The Atlas Foundation ten years later, which uses the power of rugby to improve the lives of impoverished young people.
4. Martin Johnson (c)
Any Six Nations fan will be acutely aware of Martin Johnson’s path after leading England to that dual 2003 nirvana, having been appointed head coach in April 2008.
The former second row behemoth, currently 53, led England in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Six Nations – and was the man who engineered their first Championship victory since 2003 in his third attempt as boss in 2011.
Now Johnson has taken to media duties, where he is one of the BBC’s leading rugby pundits, working in the role since the 2018 Six Nations, having previously worked for ITV and the BBC at Super Bowls XLI and XLVII as a big American football fan.
5. Ben Kay
Ben Kay currently undertakes a range of media work for TNT Sports, often being found on fans’ screens tuning in to watch the Gallagher Premiership.
He has also taken on the commentary role with ITV during their coverage of the Guinness Six Nations and is currently plying his trade in France at the Rugby World Cup.
Away from his commentary and punditry with TNT and ITV, Kay is a partner at Pablo London, an advertising agency.
6. Richard Hill
Former back-rower Richard Hill has been one of the less visible England names since that 2003 crowning glory, having retired from international action in 2008.
He has nevertheless remained an influential presence in the rugby world, however, being appointed as England’s team manager under Eddie Jones back in 2019, having previously taken on the role with England Saxons – he remains in the role now during the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
7. Neil Back
Another star from the class of 2003 to turn their hand to coaching, World Cup-winning flanker Neil Back has coached in both league and union since drawing the curtain on his career in 2005.
Back held roles at his beloved Leicester Tigers, Leeds Carnegie and Edinburgh as he passed down his dynamic back row expertise to the next generation.
Back currently undertakes a public speaking role and is also a director at display expert company, TSP Visual Comms, while he has written two books.
His son Fin is a professional footballer, currently at Carlisle United on loan from Nottingham Forest.
8. Lawrence Dallaglio
A cocktail of charity and media work has characterised Dallaglio’s post-rugby career, having worked for ITV since the 2011 Rugby World Cup and TNT Sports.
And a plethora of charity cycles have followed, with the ex No.8 totem swapping the back row for bikes alongside fellow sports stars Andrew Flintoff, Lee Dixon and Graeme Le Saux.
Still an authoritative voice in the game since retiring in 2008, Dallaglio’s influence in the sport lives on.
Replacements
Dorian West – The former front row powerhouse has also turned his hand to coaching since retirement, holding roles with England Under-21s, Northamption Saints and Sale Sharks.
Trevor Woodman – Another front-rower who has sought to pass on his expertise, the 47-year-old has worked at both Wasps and Gloucester as well as with the Australian Rugby Union.
Danny Grewcock – Danny Grewcock is also not to be messed with, possessing a black belt in karate. He also recently started a new role as high performance manager at Clifton College.
Joe Worsley – Tackling machine Joe Worsley has undertaken charity work since retiring, before turning to coaching, where he is now assistant coach with Georgia.
Kyran Bracken – King of the ice. Kyran Bracken reigned supreme in reality TV show Dancing On Ice back in 2007, having received the highest score in the history of the programme in the semi-final. His three sons, Charlie, Jack and Lachlan all play rugby themselves.
Paul Grayson – Former fly-half Paul Grayson went on to become assistant head coach at Northampton Saints and has watched sons, James, Joel and Ethan, follow in his rugby footsteps through the club’s academy. Now works as a pundit with TNT sports.
Dan Luger – Luger followed in Bracken’s footsteps on the ice – but on a bobsleigh. Alongside working in financial sales in trading, the World Cup winner competed at the British Bobsleigh Championships alongside Jason Gardener, Craig MacLean and Dean Macey.
Head coach – Sir Clive Woodward
Readers of the Daily Mail or voracious consumers of rugby will be well-acquainted with the great Woodward’s views, who has gone on to establish himself as a commanding voice in the sport, currently working as a pundit at the 2023 Rugby World Cup with ITV.
The 2003 coaching hero has released multiple books as well as holding roles with the British Olympic Association, where he was Deputy Chef de Mission for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Woodward has also played his part in a range of charity work – he is honorary present of the Wooden Spoon Society – as he continues to leave his mark on the world both in the rugby sphere and beyond.
