Brian O'Driscoll believes Ireland's Grand Slam win will crank up the pressure on Andy Farrell's side heading into this year's World Cup.
Saturday's 29-16 win over England secured Ireland's fourth-ever Slam and cements their spot as the best team on the planet right now.
Farrell's men will be vying for favouritism heading into the World Cup later this year. And despite having never won a knockout game at the tournament, they will be expected to go far in France.
Read more: Ireland beat England to clinch Six Nations Grand Slam in Dublin
They have a tough group including South Africa, Scotland, Tonga and Romania to get out of before the knockout action begins.
O'Driscoll - who won the Grand Slam back in 2009 - told ITV : "I guess in many ways this perhaps ratchets up the pressure even more now. The level of expectation will rise, certainly in this country, that we can go on and achieve not something we haven't achieved before in reaching a semi-final, but actually getting to a final.
"And God forbid, can we say it out loud, winning a World Cup."
Despite the growing hype and expectation, O'Driscoll believes Ireland have relished the pressure of being the number one ranked team in the world.
And he believes this Grand Slam win will add to their confidence going into another major tournament later this year.
"They are the number one team in the world, and you start getting text messages and notes from the southern hemisphere, from people in New Zealand and Australia, saying how good this Ireland team is," he said.
"They have grabbed the attention of everyone in the world, not just the northern hemisphere.
"I think they have embraced this number one tag, and they are enjoying it. And all of these little wins will add to the confidence.
"And hopefully it will hold them in good stead for those seven weeks of the World Cup, and they can deal with those situations when they do transpire."
Former Ireland captain Rory Best added: "You have to relish the pressure of going into a World Cup as potential winners.
"This Ireland team has to try and deliver. They are Grand Slam champions. Now the question is can they go on and really succeed at that World Cup."
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