The prospect of swift revenge is no doubt quietly tantalising and terrorising the respective minds of Ireland and Wales supporters, and its players, who will all be brimming with the nervous excitement that any Six Nations opener between Celtic cousins brings.
Though many of Declan Kidney's squad are insisting that the opportunity to get their own back on the Welsh for that World Cup quarter-final heartbreak in Wellington four months ago is not a motivating force, it foreshadows this match more than any other factor.
That, and the unavoidable, glaring absence of talismanic captain Brian O'Driscoll, who is injured. The wily centre will not feature in this tournament for the first time since 1999.
Munster's Keith Earls was chosen to replace him but pulled out on Friday due to the illness of his new baby girl. Fergus McFadden has duly been called in and the spotlight on him will be intense.
Fly-half Jonathan Sexton, too, will be under the microscope. He has won his place back from Ronan O'Gara, and must prove that he can stamp his own authority at fly-half with the shadow of Ireland's all-time record points-scorer looming over him.
Though Ireland don't start with their totem of the past decade, there is still a settled look about them: the pack is unchanged from the one that got knocked out of the World Cup.
Wales came so close to reaching the final in New Zealand, losing in agonising fashion to France in the last four. But their thrilling passage to the semis has fuelled hopes in the Principality that more success - after the Grand Slams of 2005 and 2008 - could be just around the corner, if they can negotiate this hazardous first hurdle.
"Ireland will not have enjoyed losing to us in New Zealand. They'll want to redress the balance, but they'll find us in just as determined a mood," said coach Warren Gatland.
That challenge is made a little tougher, perhaps, by the absence of the towering blind-side flanker Dan Lydiate. But centre Jamie Roberts and fly-half Rhys Priestland were both passed fit on Friday - a major boost.
And much interest will also focus on the continued development of number eight Toby Faletau, a youngster who former Wales flanker Martyn Williams describes as the ' most naturally gifted player he has ever played with '.
Wales have won on just two of their previous six visits to Dublin in the Six Nations, but have beaten the Irish in their last two meetings. Let the battle commence.
IRELAND : 15 - R Kearney; 14 - T Bowe, 13 - F McFadden, 12 - G D'Arcy, 11 - A Trimble (Ulster); 10 - J Sexton, 9 - C Murray; 1- C Healy, 2 - R Best, 3 - M Ross, 4 - D O'Callaghan, 5 - P O'Connell (C), 6 - S Ferris, 7 - S O'Brien, 8 - J Heaslip.
Replacements: 16 - S Cronin, 17 - T Court, 18 - D Ryan, 19 - P O'Mahony, 20 - E Reddan, 21 - R O'Gara, 22 - D Kearney.
WALES : 15 - L Halfpenny; 14 - A Cuthbert, 13 - J Davies, 12 - J Roberts, 11 - G North; 10 - R Priestland, 9 - M Phillips; 1 - R Gill, 2 - H Bennett, 3 - A Jones, 4 - B Davies, 5 - I Evans, 6 - R Jones, 7- S Warburton (C), 8 - T Faletau.
Replacements:16 - K Owens, 17 - P James, 18 - A Powell, 19 - J Tipuric, 20 - Lloyd Williams, 21 - J Hook, 22 - Scott Williams.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee : Wayne Barnes (England)
Touch judges : Dave Pearson & Stuart Terheege (both England)
TV : Geoff Warren (England)
