Despite managing back-to-back wins against Ireland in 1997, the closest the Azzurri have come to breaking their Six Nations duck was a 16-11 defeat in 2008.

And the match at the Stadio Flaminio may be their best opportunity to date with Declan Kidney missing last year's RBS 6 Nations Player of the Tournament Tommy Bowe, along with the likes of Jamie Heaslip, Stephen Ferris, Rob Kearney and Geordan Murphy through injury.

Their absence gives an opportunity to the Fergus McFadden, who makes his debut on the wing, in-form Leinster back-rower Sean O'Brien, and prop Mike Ross who makes his first Six Nations start.

Ireland remain overwhelming favourites for the clash but captain Brian O'Driscoll, who needs the two tries to equal Ian Smith's 78-year-old Championship record of 24 tries, is taking nothing for granted.

"What makes this tournament so great is that to win five games in a row is really tough," said the 32-year-old.

"That's why it took us 61 years to do it for a second time.

"We went nine points down in the first half of the Italy game two years ago. We had to fight our way back with an interception try and eventually ground our way through."

Meanwhile, with just two wins in his three years in charge of the Azzurri, speculation is rife that the 2011 Six Nations could well be coach Nick Mallett's last in charge.

Without injured fly-half Craig Gower, Mallett has picked the untested half back pairing of Edoardo Gori and Kristopher Burton.

Much of Italy's hopes will rest on the broad shoulders of Salvatore Perugini, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Martin Castrogiovanni and whether they can win supremacy upfront.

The return of captain Sergio Parisse is also a massive boost after the No.8 missed all of the 2010 Six Nations with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

But according to full-back Luke McLean it will be the Italian backline, coached by Alessandro Troncon, which holds the key to ending their Irish jinx.

"Every time we get into the opposition 22, the red zone, we have to come away with points," said McLean who is one of 12 foreign-born Italian players.

"We've been working a lot with Alessandro on those sorts of situations, so have faith in us."