The former Springbok coach was satisfied with his time at the helm of Italian rugby despite winning only nine of the 40 games.
Thirty of these games were against Tri-Nations or Six Nations teams and other games against teams such as Argentina that are also ranked ahead of Italy. There were only three games against lower ranking teams.
"This team is unrecognisable from the team I took over four years ago," Mallett said.
"Italian rugby has progressed tremendously in the last two years."
The team has 10 Italian records for best-ever results against teams such as New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and France.
"We have lost against the top sides by less points and we've beaten the teams we should have beaten," Mallett said.
Mallett let his emotions show when he reflected on what could be his last game as the Italian coach.
"My relationship with the team and the staff has been great over the last four years," he said.
"I've enjoyed the last two years more than I've enjoyed coaching any team.
"This match is more about the development of a team that has turned itself into a side that is respected by every other side in the world."
At the 2007 World Cup the All Blacks beat Italy 76-14. When Italy played the All Blacks in Milan two year ago it lost only 20-6.
"We have turned around the way other teams think about us," Mallett said. "They used to be confident to put their B team in against us. They no longer do that."
Mallet noticed a significant sea change after the narrow 13-11 loss to Ireland in the Six Nations in February.
"It was one of the first occasions that I've seen an Italian team disappointed after playing really well against a Six Nations team," Mallett said.
"In the past they were disappointed to lose but pleased to run the opposition close."
But after the Ireland game there was a change.
"There was genuine disappointment that they had not been able to hold out and win that game," Mallett said.
"That was a very good sign because it meant the team knew it was important to win tight games like that."
That experience helped Italy when it held on to beat France 22-21 two weeks later in the Six Nations.
"This showed that the mental side of the Italian team has improved over the last four years," Mallett said.
"They are not satisfied just to compete. They want to beat their Six Nations counterparts."
He was pleased that Italy gained maximum bonus points in its wins against Russia and the United States.
"We will need to improve our defence against a team with the quality of Ireland," Mallett said.
Mallett said that Italy put in a lot of physical effort to get the four-try bonus point against the United States.
"The game took its toll on the players but the guys were delighted after the game," Mallett said.
In order to recover physically with only a short five-day gap before the Irish game Mallett only gave his team light training.
'We have done lots of video and mental work related to the Irish game," Mallett said.
Italy team
- To play Ireland
• Andrea Masi, Tommaso Benvenuti, Gonzalo Canale, Gonzalo Garcia, Mirco Bergamasco, Luciano Orquera, Fabio Semenzato, Sergio Parisse (captain), Mauro Bergamasco, Alessandro Zanni, Cornelius van Zyl, Quintin Geldenhuys, Martin Castrogiovanni, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Salvatore Perugini.
• Reserves: Fabio Ongaro, Andrea lo Cicero, Marco Bortolami, Paul Derbyshire, Edoardo Gori, Riccardo Bocchino, Luke McLean.