Edinburgh V Leinster

Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Referee: Joel Jutge
Sunday 29th October 2006, 13:00

Leinster and Ireland Full Back Girvan Dempsey will make his 50th appearance for Leinster in the Heineken Cup this weekend when his side face Edinburgh in Murrayfield.

Coach Michael Chieka has decided to wait on a late fitness test on Chris Whitaker before deciding on his final selection. Cillian Willis will start should Whitaker not make it.

Willis made his Heineken Cup debut against Gloucester last week and came through the game well - receiving a large cheer as he was substituted near the end of the game.

There are no changes in the pack but Cameron Jowitt returns to the bench.

Chris Paterson returns to lead Edinburgh in their second round Heineken Cup match at Murrayfield. The captain missed last week's opening match against Agen, after injuring his knee in the victory over Munster at Thomond Park the previous week.

With Paterson back, Ben Cairns moves to the bench in place of Mike Pyke. Alasdair Dickinson comes into the front row replacing Craig Smith who has also been named in the replacements, as has apprentice player Steven Turnbull.

Assistant Coach Rob Moffat said: It is good to have Chris back as he is such a positive person, not just on the field but off it too, and influences those around him. Alasdair played well when he came on last week and showed what he's good at, both in the scrum and in the loose.

This will be a different game to Agen and the pace will be quicker with a more frenetic start. Leinster play the same kind of positive game as Edinburgh. They're exciting, as they showed last week against Gloucester, with players that can punish you. The game should be a cracker.

Edinburgh

Hugo Southwell, Chris Paterson (capt), Marcus di Rollo, Rob Dewe, Simon Webster, Phil Godman
Mike Blair

Allan Jacobsen, Dougie Hall, Alasdair Dickinson, Matt Mustchin, Scott Murray, Alasdair Strokosch, Ross Rennie, David Callam,

Replacements
Andrew Kelly, Craig Smith, Steven Turnbull, Alan MacDonald, Greig Laidlaw, Duncan Hodge,
Ben Cairns

Leinster

Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll(C), Gordon D'Arcy, Denis Hickie
Felipe Contepomi, Chris Whitaker / Cillian Willis

Ronan McCormack, Brian Blaney, Will Green, Trevor Hogan ,Malcolm O'Kelly, Stephen Keogh, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip

Replacements:
Harry Vermaas, Reggie Corrigan, Cameron Jowitt, Owen Finegan, Cillian Willis / Andrew Dunne, Kieran Lewis, Luke Fitzgerald.