Ulster v Edinburgh: Ulster coach Mark McCall will be conscious of maintaining the momentum of last weekend's superb victory over Stade Francais tonight. It's a different competition, but no less important for an Irish province that seems to be shaking off the torpor of early season indifference.
Minimal change to the starting line-up underlines McCall's commitment to this match, especially with the prospect of a trip to Donnybrook just after Christmas. Tyrone Howe comes in on the left wing with Paul Steinmetz preferred to Johnny Bell in the centre. Neil Best's suspension means a first start for Gavin Pfister.
Ulster have lost just one of their five encounters against Scottish teams, 20-34 to Glasgow at Hughenden on October 16th, and pipped tonight's opponents by a point when they met at Murrayfield earlier in the season. In contrast, Edinburgh have managed only one win from their last seven outings in all competitions, a 17-16 victory over the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade on November 19th.
Edinburgh have made nine changes, including two positional switches, from their team on European Cup duty last weekend. Derrick Lee, Michael Pyke, Paul Boston, Grant Anderson, Scott Murray, Alasdair Strokosch and Alan MacDonald are all introduced, while Hugo Southwell and Allister Hogg move to the wing and number eight respectively.
Leading points scorer Chris Paterson (hip), Ben MacDougall, Craig Joiner, Allan Jacobsen (neck), Fergus Pringle, Todd Blackadder (foot) and David Callam are absent from those on starting duty last weekend either through injury or selection. Also given starts are Pyke and Strokosch, while the impressive Callam has been rested after playing six of the last seven games. He starts on the bench.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys, K Campbell; R McCormack, P Shields, R Moore; G Longwell, M McCullough; C Feather (capt), R Wilson, G Pfister. Replacements: R Best, S Best, R Frost, M Mustchin, N Doak, A Larkin, A Maxwell.
EDINBURGH: D Lee; M Pyke, M Di Rollo, P Boston, H Southwell; B Laney, M Blair; G Anderson, D Hall, C Smith; A Kellock, S Murray (capt); A Strokosch, A Hogg, A MacDonald. Replacements: A Kelly, A Dickinson, F Pringle, D Callam, R Lawson, P Godman, B MacDougall.
Referee: Sean Davey (RFU).
Previous meetings: September 1998 (EC) at Ravenhill: Ulster 38 Edinburgh Rugby 38. November 1998 (EC) at Myreside: Edinburgh Rugby 21 Ulster 23. September 2002 (CL) at Ravenhill: Ulster 18 Edinburgh Rugby 19. October 2003 (CL) at Meadowbank: Edinburgh Rugby 3 Ulster 41. December 2003 (Celtic Cup Final) at Murrayfield: Edinburgh Rugby 21 Ulster 27. March 2004 (CL) at Ravenhill: Ulster 37 Edinburgh 17. September 2004 (CL) at Murrayfield: Edinburgh Rugby 16 Ulster 17.
Leading points scorers: Ulster - David Humphreys 39. Edinburgh - Chris Paterson 65.
Leading try scorers: Ulster - Bryn Cunningham, Andy Maxwell 3 each. Edinburgh - Chris Paterson 2.
Verdict: Ulster.
