Both teams are still searching for the first win of the Championship with Ireland’s game against France getting postponed after their opening-round defeat to Wales in Dublin.

The Azzurri meanwhile have shown glimpses of their new-found attacking philosophy under coach Jacques Brunel but have failed to make their chances count.

It is not going to get any easier for Italy in Dublin where they face Ireland’s formidable back-row of Stephen Ferris, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip, who McLean regards as one of the most destructive units in world rugby.

And the 24-year-old maintains that trio cannot be allowed to wreak their spoiling tactics at the breakdown if Italy are to break their Championship duck against Ireland.

"They're perhaps the best team in the world at the breakdown, they do everything to slow down the ball and they do it well because they're not penalised by the referees," he said.

"In training (on Monday) we studied how we can beat them on this plan, we have to get the ball out quickly."

"We saw in our last two matches that we tried to play a bit more with the ball in hand and getting it wider.

"We want to exploit the few chances we create."