Simon Zebo isn't expecting Ireland to fall foul of a shock result on Friday but warned that Wales are improving despite being in the midst of a long losing run in the Guinness Six Nations.
The Welsh will arrive at Aviva Stadium off the back of a 14 defeats in a row in the competition.
However, they did come agonisingly close to getting the better of Scotland in Cardiff last time out before losing narrowly late on.
With that in mind, former Ireland and Munster international Zebo is expecting the Welsh to give Ireland a good game. But not to the extent of a shock result.
"I do think they are improving. It's not all doom and gloom in Wales," he told RTÉ Radio 1's Inside Sport.
"There's some green shoots there and they are very, very difficult to beat at home in particular.
"Just looking at that Twickenham performance, I think if we pitch up in the same vein, we'll be very difficult to stop at home.
"And Andy will be putting pressure on the team to not make that Twickenham performance a one-off and irrelevant of the opposition, he will want to see the best version of each player.
"So I don't see a shock result coming this weekend but you never know the week after."
Andy Farrell named his Ireland side for the game earlier on Wednesday and Jacob Stockdale's recall was among five changes made from the impressive victory over England at Twickenham.
"It'll be a massive game for him and he had some decent moments in that French game but some poor ones as well," Zebo said of the Ulster wing's return to the team.
"He'll be disappointed obviously he didn't get a run before this but another massive opportunity for him and it shows that Andy has him very much in his thoughts.
"He's still in the mix and one or two injuries away from nailing down a spot. So a big opportunity for him and a few others."
However, Tommy O'Brien was not selected despite the Leinster wing's standout performance in Twickenham. But Zebo views his absence as more to do with cohesion rather than form.
"I think Tommy was amazing when he came on and had a massvie impact, got a great try but I think Andy would prefer the option of Stockdale on the left hand side, having played left wing, having a big left foot as well, similar to James Lowe," he said.
"That's a huge difference when selecting a back three. You have to have them complement each other and I don't see Tommy O'Brien fitting in as well on the left hand side.
"But I don't think it's a form thing. I think it's more of a cohesion thing. But big performances needed as this Welsh side we know can cause a lot of teams some trouble, so they'll have to be on top form."
Watch Ireland v Wales in the Six Nations on Friday from 7pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to commentary on an extended Inside Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
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