Leinster v Edinburgh: As Australian commentators like to exclaim: Try Time. If the last Leinster-Scottish affair at Donnybrook was a try-decorated advert for the much-maligned Celtic League, this has the pedigree to be even better. Fellow capital entertainers with a penchant for the running game, these sides' four previous meetings have have yielded a quite staggering 29 tries and 255 points, an average of over seven tries and 63 points per match.
Declan Kidney also adds the rider that "Leinster have never beaten Edinburgh in those four matches, despite averaging 30 points a match." These clashes truly have been an extraordinary bugbear for Leinster, the failure to close out a 17-point lead in the penultimate pool match in the European Cup four seasons ago being as disappointing as any of the three defeats.
Lest those of us (mea culpa) who were "getting a little carried away" by Leinster's previously unbeaten four-game start were inclined to do so again - not likely after the salutary wake-up call against the Dragons - Kidney also points out that Edinburgh reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup last season. "We didn't," he adds.
Edinburgh's progress chart this season has been in stark contrast to Leinster's, as they finally brokered their first win of the campaign last week against Cardiff. The 35-16 scoreline may be a tad misleading, however, as it was buttressed by Chris Paterson's nine from nine ratio for a 25-point haul.
For all the running abandon they have brought to previous run-ins with Leinster, they have been struggling for tries this season - their tally of five being the lowest in the table.
The search for cohesion continues for Leinster, and all the while Europe looms. Once again new combinations will be obliged to settle in quickly, not least their latest recruit, the debutant ex-Wellington Hurricanes' outhalf David Holwell. With Brian O'Meara (nine out of 12 and 23 points) and Felipe Contepomi (eight out of nine and 20 points), Leinster certainly won't lack for goalkicking options.
Girvan Dempsey also makes his first start of the season, but the real intrigue will be in seeing how Holwell goes. Kidney exudes confidence in his experienced new signing and if the Kiwi drops the first broad hints that he can solve Leinster's perennial problem position, it would be as welcome as a win.
LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, F Contepomi, G Brown; D Holwell, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, E Byrne, M O'Kelly, L Cullen, A McCullen, V Costello, E Miller. Replacements: R Nebbett, B Blaney, B Gissing, S Jennings, G Easterby, G D'Arcy, D Hickie.
EDINBURGH: D Lee; H Southwell, M Di Rollo, C Joiner, C Paterson; B Laney, M Blair; A Jacobsen, D Hall, C Smith, N Hines, A Kellock, T Blackadder (capt), D Callam, A Hogg. Replacements: A Kelly, J Brannigan, F Pringle, S Cross, R Lawson, P Godman, M Pyke.
Referee: Nigel Williams (Wales).
Previous meetings (00-01) EC: Edinburgh Rugby 29, Leinster 21; Leinster 34, Edinburgh Rugby 34. (03-04) CL: Leinster 30, Edinburgh Rugby 33; Edinburgh Rugby 40, Leinster 34.
Formguide: Leinster: 9-9 v Cardiff (h); 26-15 v Ulster (a); 17-15 v Munster (h); 50-13 v Borders (h); 13-34 v The Dragons(a). Edinburgh: 16-17 v Ulster (h); idle; 10-12 v Glasgow (a); 16-37 v Llanelli (a); 35-16 v Cardiff (h).
Leading try scorers: Leinster - Gary Brown 4, James Norton 3. Edinburgh - Todd Blackadder, David Callam, Hugo Southwell, David Lee, Mike Pyke 1 each.
Leading points scorers: Leinster - Brian O'Meara 23, Felipe Contepomi 20. Edinburgh - Chris Paterson 52.
Forecast: Leinster to win.
