There's a bit of a buzz and excitement [about the team selection].
I wasn't quite expecting six changes to the starting side and obviously that's had a knock-on effect to the bench.
I'm really excited about Rob Baloucoune and Cormac Izuchukwu, and a bit surprised to see Baloucoune was 28 years of age, Izuchukwu 26.
Both have been capped before but it's their Six Nations debut.
It's the athletic profile of those two players: Baloucoune has lightning pace but he's also 6ft 4 so that's going to have an impact in terms of the kicking game.
Both players are players that, to be fair to Andy Farrell, he's tried to get involved in the squads before.
But it often happens with highly-tuned athletes, they get injured a lot. So I think it's injury more than anything that's held them back.
But both have been in spectacular form for Ulster this season.
I think the warning has been there prior to [Italy's win over Scotland].
They were outstanding during November. They beat Australia, they ran South Africa very close.
A lot of people thought it was a bit tongue-in-cheek when Rassie Erasmus said that they'd finish top three in the Six Nations.
But they have a group nowadays, a lot of them backed by Benetton players who compete every week against Irish players in the URC.
On top of that, they have a cohort of players playing in the English Premiership and the Top 14 in France so they carry no inhibitions into games.
They have an outstanding backline, even though Ignacio Brex, whose combination with Tommaso Menoncello in midfield, is probably the best in the championship, is out for personal reasons.
He'll be a loss to Italy.
[Conditions] won't [be great], unfortunately.
But if it's rain you want, then certainly Italy have prepared exceptionally well. The monsoon that happened in Rome last week was off the charts.
But people need to remember, prior to that downpour, which was there for most of the second half, they scored two outstanding tries in the opening 15 minutes of the game.
So they've got a capability of playing both ways.
I expect a backlash from Ireland, a huge fallout from last week, Andy Farrell mentioned [the lack of] intent.
I was in Paris for the game. The passive nature of the Ireland performance is something that you really don't expect so I think there'll be a huge backlash from that.
James Ryan and Jack Conan made a huge impact off the bench when they came in and deservedly start this time.
So I am expecting an Irish win. The conditions may not make it as comfortable as expected but you've got to respect Italy, which I think Ireland will do.
I think the changes will have the necessary impact on the game.
Donal Lenihan was speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland
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