Leinster forwards must build platform

Celtic League Leinster v Edinburgh Donnybrook, 7.30 On TV: SetantaOrdinarily, two teams meeting for a fourth time in one season would place a huge emphasis on mixing up their patterns to try to downplay the familiarity factor. However, for Leinster and Edinburgh the swingeing changes in personnel from their respective full-strength incarnations will shake up the video analysis ahead of tonight's game.

The Scottish side are not quite as discommoded as their hosts, who must plan without their entire first-choice three-quarter line of Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Denis Hickie. Throw in Luke Fitzgerald's damaged neck and the haemorrhaging of back-line talent is both obvious and debilitating.

The in-form Rob Kearney starts at fullback, while coach Michael Cheika can call upon Gary Brown, Kieran Lewis and Christian Warner, all players of ability. The selection of Michael Berne on the left wing is driven by expediency.

Cheika is not one to sit on his hands if the composition of a unit within the team is jarring, so he may opt to switch Felipe Contepomi and Warner, or at least have them move between the outhalf and inside centre roles as the game progresses. He has that flexibility with Berne and Lewis, who could also swap places: the former is a decent footballer but he's not wing-quick.

The onus for the Magners Celtic League leaders is, for once, on their experienced pack. The absence of Malcolm O'Kelly and Keith Gleeson notwithstanding, it won't be weakened appreciably by the presence of young 6ft 10in secondrow Devin Toner and Niall Ronan.

This week Ronan is being considered as a flanker having covered on the bench for the backs in recent matches. It underlines his athleticism and mobility, but in returning to his roots he has big shoes to fill. Gleeson has been excellent recently.

This game is about the Leinster pack stepping forward and taking responsibility, providing the peerless Contepomi with a platform to dominate proceedings. The Argentinian outhalf has posted his last 14 place-kicks.

Edinburgh, who make five changes and a positional switch from the team that beat Connacht, will be led by international Duncan Hodge but not from his normal outhalf role, but inside centre. They can call upon livewire wing Simon Webster and Ben Cairns, who has been a standout player this season.

Up front, loosehead prop Alasdair Dickinson has recovered from an ankle injury while Allister Hogg is potentially one of the best forwards in the Six Nations Championship. His rehabilitation from injury will benefit from yet another match that should eventually see him force his way back into Scotland's starting line-up.

Edinburgh's assistant coach Rob Moffat admitted: "We are third in the league just eight points behind Leinster with a game in hand, so it is very tight at the top. This game and the game against the Ospreys will go a long way to deciding where we finish in the league . . . It is good to have some of our Scottish players back as they are influential players.

"Leinster are in a similar situation to us as they are without their international players. It should be a good game as matches between these sides usually are and they tend to be high-scoring given the type of rugby Leinster and Edinburgh play."

Leinster include the promising former Clongowes centre Fergus McFadden on the bench, a player of real promise. A barometer of the home team's form might be the amount of game time he gets on the night. It'll be close.

LEINSTER: R Kearney; G Brown, K Lewis, C Warner, M Berne; F Contepomi (capt), C Whitaker; R McCormack, B Jackman, W Green; T Hogan, D Toner; S Keogh, N Ronan, J Heaslip. Replacements: AN Other, B Blaney, A Byrnes, O Finegan, G Easterby, J Sexton, F McFadden.

EDINBURGH: L Lopez Fleming; M Dey, B Cairns, D Hodge (capt), S Webster; A Warnock, J Senio; A Dickinson, A Kelly, G Cross; M Mustchin, C Bentley; A Strokosch, R Rennie, A Hogg. Replacements: S Lawrie, A Jacobsen, D Young, S Cross, F McKenzie, G Laidlaw, P Jorgensen.

Referee: N Owens (Wales).

Leading points scorers: Leinster - Felipe Contepomi 114. Edinburgh - Chris Paterson 106.

Leading try scorers: Leinster - Denis Hickie 6. Edinburgh - Simon Webster 4.

Verdict: Draw.