Ireland host Wales on Sunday in their opening fixture of this year's RBS 6 Nations, and both sides have revealed how they're calling on past experiences as motivation.

Wales captain Sam Warburton, who is among just five survivors in the starting line-up from a 26-3 Aviva Stadium defeat two years ago, believes the home advantage will aid the Irish side again but has highlighted it as an area not to be overawed by this time.

"All I remember is the Irish crowd were so loud, and you could see the team feeding off that, and they kept growing through the game," Warburton said. "Trying to stop that early on will be pretty important.

"I think we have to try to stick a pin in that balloon early on by becoming physical and direct and executing our game-plan to get us into the game pretty early."

Wales assistant coach Rob Howley was also in agreement with Warburton and reflected on the same game from two years ago to ensure that the same result isn't repeated. 

"We are going to a place where we did not have a pleasant experience two years ago," Howley said. "You remember the day and those moments.

"They ask questions of forwards with their driving lineout, and that caused us problems two years ago.

"We have spoken about discipline, and in the last 18 months we have not given many opportunities to opponents in our 22."

© Stu Forster/Getty Images

On the other side of the field, Ireland international Tommy O'Donnell is using his own personal negative memories against Wales to spur himself on.

The Munster back-rower suffered a career-threatening injury when he dislocated his hip last time out against Wales back in Ireland's 35-21 World Cup warm up, and he believes only "a huge amount of luck" has managed him to recover in time.

"When I was lying on the turf in the Millennium Stadium I didn't think this was possible," said O'Donnell.

"When I walk into the dressing room see my jersey there on Sunday, it will make it all the sweeter. It will really drive me on I hope.

"The injury really gives a sense of how hard international caps are to come by, so it makes you really savour these caps."

PA Sport contributed to this report.