Magners League preview: Leinster will seek revenge over Edinburgh
Leinster will host Edinburgh in their Magners League match at the RDS in Dublin, on Saturday, 30 October.
The Irish province will be looking for their fourth win in a row, but will be without a number of their international contingent.
Edinburgh are chasing their fourth consecutive Magners League victory and will field a strong side.
Leinster line-up
Leinster will be without the likes of Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Jamie Heaslip, Gordon D’Arcy, Johnny Sexton and Cian Healy who are all on international duty with the Irish side.
Inspirational centre Brian O’Driscoll has a hamstring injury, but flanker Dominic Ryan has overcome an injury that he picked up in the team’s last match against Connaught.
Leo Cullen will captain the side in his 140th appearance for the province. Youth player Andrew Conway will take up the left wing position, while out-half Ian Madigan and scrum-half Paul O’Donohoe
will start as the new half-back pairing.
Leinster have played some good rugby after a poor start to the season and beat Connaught 18-6 away from home in their last Magners League match.
The side were also in fantastic form in the Heineken Cup and thrashed French league leader’s Racing Metro by 38-22, before visiting Saracens and coming away with an invaluable 25-23 victory. This has put
the Dublin based club in firm control of their Heineken Cup group.
Edinburgh line-up
Edinburgh will be confident that they can come away with a win and take advantage of Leinster’s depleted squad.
Alex Blair makes his debut for the Scottish side and will make up a half-back pairing with his brother Mike Blair.
Alex Blair will replace David Blair who also plays at out-half and is the third Blair in the squad. He is ruled out through injury after he took a blow to the head in a training session.
“I’ve been working hard to earn this opportunity, and I’m really grateful to the coaches for having shown this level of faith in me. Dave’s been playing really well recently, so it’s unlucky for him that
he needs to miss out this weekend, but you’ve got to grasp your chances as and when they come, and I’ll certainly be aiming to make the most of this one,” said Alex Blair.
Leinster will aim to target the experienced out-half, but the debutant feels that having his brother alongside him will help him in the game.
“It will be good to have Mike beside me at halfback, not just because he’s my brother, but because he’s a hugely experienced player who’ll be able to give me a few pointers when he feels it’s required.
It’s a big game to be making my debut in, but I’m relishing the thought of going to a place like the RDS and showing what we’re all about.”
Ross Ford and Roddy Grant return for Edinburgh, while another debutant John Houston will form a new look central midfield partnership with Alex Grove.
What to expect
Edinburgh beat Ulster 21-16 in their last Magners League game and have already beaten Leinster this season. However, the Irish province will be out for revenge and their form suggests that they should
be comfortable winners at home, despite having a depleted squad.
Prediction:
Leinster 33 Edinburgh 18
Tags: