Italy are awkward customers and that obduracy is compounded when a team must face them early in the Six Nations Championship. The pep of having a new coach and their traditional enthusiasm at the beginning of every campaign means they will approach today's match with a positive mindset.

The Italians will play a Munster brand of rugby, strong and abrasive up front, looking to take Ireland on. Discerning their plan is the easy part, although the fact Pierre Berbizier is in his first tournament in charge means they might be a little less predictable.

One thing that struck me when examining the Ireland team selection is my belief Eddie O'Sullivan has picked a backrow to defend. Johnny O'Connor or Keith Gleeson should be there to have a balanced backrow. In those circumstances, Denis Leamy would miss out. I think he would be better served if he reverted to the dynamics of the backrow when he had Victor Costello and Anthony Foley. When you want to run the ball on your ball you put Wally (David Wallace) in at number eight.

The other aspect of the selection that struck me is a feeling there is a pronounced weakness on the bench. It's very, very young and inexperienced. If you go through the team there is a core who have a oodles of caps, but among the replacements you're talking about a handful.

I would question the leadership that's coming off the bench. Who is going to come on and say or do something that would give you a bit of control. There's that clichéd phrase about the impact player but when looking at the Irish bench, who is going to show leadership, produce results and change a match.

In the past you had players like Reggie Corrigan, Keith Gleeson, Frankie Sheahan and in his own way Shane Byrne who had the mental agility and force of personality to change things. It'll be interesting to note if Marcus Horan and John Hayes can nurse Jerry Flannery through his first international start.

Flannery's a great player and I would expect him to go to be a top quality international. He has all the qualities but today he's just got to survive his first start for his country.

The Italian frontrow is a very good functional one. Last season they dished up trouble for France and they gave Wales huge problems. This kid (Flannery) is going to have his hands full. Who's going to be in his ear, who is going to be talking to him. I think that's a big issue. I know Reggie's coming to the end of his career, but I would have kept him. The danger with swingeing changes is that too much change too quick is not healthy.

Ireland are coming off a poor November series against New Zealand and Australia, performances that were largely attributable to questionable tactics or tic tacs as Trevor Brennan liked to say. They got their tactics the wrong way around in kicking far too much ball against the Aussies and not attacking them while being a bit too cavalier against the All Blacks.

If they come out against the Italians and try to counter them rather than attack them, they'll be in trouble. Italy are a physical handful up front and will take a good while to subdue so during that period you have to take your scoring opportunities.

You look through all the games the Italians play. They do it to everyone. They have this facility to throw you out of your rhythm. Recall the mindset that the Italians brought two years ago. They won the toss and deliberately kicked the ball short so they were guaranteed the first scrum.

I thought it was one of the most atrocious things I have seen - giving a team possession in the middle of the pitch so they could attack you. It was absolute lunacy. They crave that crash, bang, wallop style of play.

I'm expecting them to defend in a totally different manner to Italian teams in the past with the main focus on Brian O'Driscoll. I expect them to come from outside in, change their alignment or they may even copy the South Africans who get a centre to shoot out of the line. They're looking for a bun fight to make things as messy as possible. If the Italians don't have a plan in this respect then they are dead. The fact O'Driscoll is taking the pitch will be a huge confidence boost for Ireland.

Ireland will win. As long as the Irish forwards get some control up front then they have the backs to win well. The X factor is Berbizier and the new Italian back line. The Irish forwards coped a fair bit of flak after last season's Six Nations and they have had a poor November Test series. There has to be some anger. I think once you do have the anger you'll come out and do it.

In terms of the other matches this weekend I think England will win well as Mike Ruddock faces a tough game with so many injuries. For Scotland it'll be about performance rather than the result.