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Heineken Cup Preview: Leinster v Edinburgh

Heineken Cup Preview: Leinster v Edinburgh

Leinster will be hoping to serve up a Sunday afternoon roasting for Edinburgh as they look to claim the bonus point win which will guarantee them top spot in Pool 2 and a place in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.

HEINEKEN CUP: POOL 2: Sunday, January 25

LEINSTER v EDINBURGH, The RDS, 1pm (live Sky Sports 1)

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Team News: Bank of Ireland Player of the Month Rob Kearney has been named in a back-line that shows no changes from the side that started last weekend’s loss to Wasps at Twickenham.

There are changes in the pack with Trevor Hogan partnering Devin Toner in the second row and Cian Healy starting at loosehead prop.

Leinster are currently level (on 16 points) with Wasps at the top of Pool 2. They boast a better points scoring difference than their closest rivals and in order to secure quarter-final qualification, they need a better result than Wasps achieve at Castres Olympique.

Simply put, a bonus point win over Edinburgh would see Leinster through to the knock-out stages, no matter how Wasps fare in France.

Meanwhile, prop Kyle Traynor will make his first start for Edinburgh in the Heineken Cup this weekend against Leinster.

Traynor replaces Scotland international Allan Jacobsen (shoulder) in the number 1 jersey and his promotion is one of six changes to the starting line-up which recorded a bonus point win over Castres last weekend.

Regular captain Mike Blair is rested, so Greig Laidlaw continues at scrum half and Allister Hogg will lead the side.

Chris Paterson replaces Hugo Southwell (shoulder) at full-back while Nick De Luca has recovered from a head knock to form a centre partnership with John Houston in the absence of Ben Cairns (rested).

David Blair has been given the nod to make only his second start of the season and he replaces Phil Godman (hamstring) at out-half.

In the front row, Traynor is joined by Andrew Kelly and Geoff Cross, who returns after being rested for the win over Castres.

LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll, Felipe Contepomi, Luke Fitzgerald; Isa Nacewa, Chris Whitaker (capt); Cian Healy, Bernard Jackman, Stan Wright, Trevor Hogan, Devin Toner, Rocky Elsom, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: John Fogarty, Ollie Le Roux, Stephen Keogh, Sean O’Brien, Chris Keane, Gordon D’Arcy, Girvan Dempsey.

EDINBURGH: Chris Paterson; Andrew Turnbull, John Houston, Nick De Luca, Simon Webster; David Blair, Greig Laidlaw; Kyle Traynor, Andrew Kelly, Geoff Cross, Craig Hamilton, Ben Gissing, Scott Newlands, Simon Cross, Allister Hogg (capt).

Replacements: Steve Lawrie, Gavin Kerr, Jim Hamilton, Alan MacDonald, Ben Meyer, Jim Thompson, Roland Reid.

Referee: Chris White (England)
Touch Judges: Roy Maybank, Stuart Terheege (both England)
Television Match Official: Geoff Warren (England)

Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 1/16; Draw: 40/1; Edinburgh to win: 7/1

Pre-Match Quotes: Michael Cheika (Leinster) – “One thing that is very important this week is that the team is going in the same direction. The first thing we did at the start of the week was we discussed the situation and we need to win the game, pure and simple.

“If you think about bonus points, that’s the ultimate disrespect to the opposition. Also, there are a number of games before we play so there might not be the same necessity.

“The first thing we need to do is go out there and play really well. Make it a horrible day for them.

“It’s about us feeling it with our crowd behind us, hopefully in front of a full house, because they will be looking to impress ahead of the Six Nations. We’ll try to win the game and go from there.”

Kyle Traynor (Edinburgh) – “That result (52-6) over there at the start of the season is a massive motivating factor for all the players. I played the last 20 minutes in that game and it wasn’t a great experience, but I think the squad has moved on a hell of a lot since then and we’ve learned from that situation.

“We went through the video after the game and took a long hard look at where we went wrong. Basically, we let them have everything they got, and we realised at that point that it was up to us to decide whether we win or lose games.

“So I think the squad has moved on a hell of a lot since then, and this is a big opportunity for us to start putting right what went wrong in September.

“The RDS is a great ground and they’ve sold it out, so there is going to be a massive crowd and a great atmosphere there, with 16,500 fans all cheering on Leinster in what is a huge game for them. But we’re going out there to get a result, and we’re confident we can do that.”

Heineken Cup Top Scorers – Current Season: Leinster: Points: Felipe Contepomi 43; Tries: Brian O’Driscoll 4; Edinburgh: Points: Chris Paterson 34; Tries: Mark Robertson 2

Current Form – Leinster(Magners League): Drew 16-16 away to the Cardiff Blues; Won 52-6 at home to Edinburgh; Won 19-13 at home to the Ospreys; Lost 18-0 at home to Munster; Lost 19-18 away to Connacht; (Heineken Cup): Won 27-16 away to Edinburgh; Won 41-11 at home to London Wasps; (Magners League): Lost 15-21 away to Glasgow Warriors; Won 29-13 at home to the Newport Gwent Dragons; (Heineken Cup): Won 33-3 at home to Castres Olympique; Lost 18-15 away to Castres Olympique; (Magners League): Won 21-13 away to Ulster; Won 26-18 at home to Connacht; Won 21-20 at home to the Cardiff Blues; (Heineken Cup): Lost 19-12 away to London Wasps

Edinburgh – (Magners League): Lost 20-15 at home to Munster; Lost 52-6 away to Leinster; Won 32-12 at home to the Scarlets; Lost 11-9 away to the Newport Gwent Dragons; Lost 13-9 away to Ulster; (Heineken Cup): Lost 27-16 at home to Leinster; Won 13-6 away to Castres Olympique; (Magners League): Won 27-14 away to Connacht; Won 32-16 at home to the Ospreys; (Heineken Cup): Lost 25-16 at home to London Wasps; Lost 19-11 away to London Wasps; (Magners League): Won 39-6 at home to Glasgow Warriors; Lost 25-20 away to Glasgow Warriors; Won 21-15 at home to Ulster; (Heineken Cup): Won 32-14 at home to Castres Olympique

Previous European Meetings: 7

Saturday, October 11, 2008 – Pool 2 – Edinburgh 16 Leinster 27, Murrayfield
Saturday, December 15, 2007 – Pool 6 – Edinburgh 29 Leinster 10, Murrayfield
Friday, December 7, 2007 – Pool 6 – Leinster 28 Edinburgh 14, The RDS
Saturday, January 13, 2007 – Pool 2 – Leinster 49 Edinburgh 10, Donnybrook
Sunday, October 29, 2006 – Pool 2 – Edinburgh 25 Leinster 24, Murrayfield
Friday, January 12, 2001 – Pool 1 – Leinster 34 Edinburgh 34, Donnybrook
Friday, October 6, 2000 – Pool 1 – Edinburgh 29 Leinster 21, Murrayfield

Heineken Cup Records:

Leinster –
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2006/07: Reached the quarter-finals
2005/06: Reached the semi-finals
2004/05: Reached the quarter-finals
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2002/03: Reached the semi-finals
2001/02: Reached the quarter-finals
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool B
1995/96: Reached the semi-finals

Edinburgh –
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2006/07: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2003/04: Reached the quarter-finals
2002/03: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool C
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool A

IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Leinster to win by more than 7 points (with four tries or more)