The team face a gruelling four games in as many weeks, after the planned clash in Paris was frozen out ten days ago and later rescheduled for 4 March.
It was far from ideal for Ireland, who were looking to shake off a 23-21 defeat at the hands of Wales.
"When you lose a game, you like to get straight back out there and get it out of your system," captain Paul O'Connell admitted.
"It's been frustrating carrying that around ... Some guys with knocks have benefited from it, but a few others would have liked more game time under their belts."
We've come into camp fresh this week and that's the positive that's come of it. We have four games in a row now and some guys like that, others aren't so fussed.
Paul O’Connell
They'll now face Italy on Saturday - a team they defeated twice last year, albeit in different ways.
At last autumn's World Cup, Ireland booked their quarter-final place with a comprehensive 36-6 win over the Italians - but in February, it took a last minute drop-goal from Ronan O'Gara to steal the 13-11 win at Stadio Flaminio.
O'Connell is expecting a tough test on Saturday though.
"Italy are a very tough, physical side and I'm sure there will be a lot of sore bodies after the game," the skipper said.
"It's probably the most physical game of the tournament. They have an excellent maul, scrum and are very good around the fringes.
"They are keeping the ball in hand a bit more and are being more expansive, but they're still really tough up front."
He added: "They've attacked the short side a little more and have looked a very good team over the last two games, despite losing to France and England."
Jonathan Sexton has recovered from the thigh muscle injury which would have kept him out of the game against France, had it gone ahead, and starts at fly-half.
Gordon D'Arcy will win his 65th cap having first turned out for Ireland against Romania in 1999, while the uncapped Peter O'Mahony is included among the replacements.
Kidney said making changes to the team had been tempting, but was ultimately decided against.
"There were a few things to consider as a couple of lads will be playing only their second game in five weeks - you can talk about over-exposing players, but you can under-expose them too," he said.
"We need to approach this game by game, rather than as a block of four fixtures, and that's what we're doing."
Ireland Squad
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster).
Replacements: Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster) Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster).