Lions trio make a welcome return for Leinster

MAGNERS LEAGUE: Edinburgh v LeinsterROB KEARNEY, Luke Fitzgerald and Jamie Heaslip have been pencilled into the Leinster team-sheet for the first time since their summer escapades with the Lions in South Africa.

Coach Michael Cheika has elected to start all three players against the Magners League leaders, Edinburgh.

The Australian is juggling a desire to maintain the impetus of recent weeks with providing the chance for the returning players to shake free any competitive rustiness ahead of next weekend’s box office clash with Munster at the RDS. Brian O’Driscoll should be introduced into selection mix at that point.

The IRFU stipulated not alone the date upon which the Irish Lions’ players would begin their season but the number of matches they would play during the first tranche of the playing calendar.

Working within those parameters, Cheika has elected to tweak the team for what has traditionally proved a tricky assignment.

Leinster have not won a Magners League game in Edinburgh since 2006, losing on their last three Magners visits in a stadium devoid of atmosphere. They will take some comfort from the fact that they did manage a bonus point victory at Murrayfield in the opening pool match of last season’s Heineken Cup.

The Scottish side have started the season impressively, winning all three matches to date, including a gritty victory over Ulster in Belfast last time out.

Under new coach Rob Moffat they have continued their expansive approach, an assertion borne out by a 12-try haul to date. That figure is bolstered appreciably by their 60-point-plus demolition of Connacht.

Leinster in contrast have managed just two tries – Girvan Dempsey and Isa Nacewa – in their three matches. Ordinarily it would be a concern but it is mitigated by the fact that they are at least creating chances, if not taking them. They need to be a little more precise.

Rob Kearney replaces Nacewa at fullback, Luke Fitzgerald is on the left wing, Fergus McFadden forms an all-Clongowes midfield alongside Gordon D’Arcy while Shaun Berne shifts from centre to outhalf.

Leo Cullen is back to lead the side, partnering Nathan Hines in the second row, while Cheika has elected to go with a young, athletic backrow with Heaslip as the pivot.

Rocky Elsom’s impact last season requires little elaboration but those who feared that Leinster would struggle in his absence should take consolation from the excellent performances of Kevin McLaughlin.

A brilliant schools player and underage international, a succession of injuries has hampered his development but he is now beginning to deliver consistently. It’ll take something special at this point to wrestle the number six jersey from his grasp.

He admitted: “My goal at the start of the season was to play the first three games so I’m delighted to have done that, but I know that the hard work starts now. If you look at the backrow you have players like Sean O’Brien, Stephen Keogh, Shane Jennings and now Jamie Heaslip all fighting for places and that level of competition is healthy because you know that you have to perform every time you step out on to the field.

“Rocky’s (Elsom) departure certainly provided me with an opportunity and I’m enjoying every minute of it. He set a very high standard in his time here and that’s what I have to aim for when I play. When you come up against the likes of Marty Holah, Jerry Collins and Filo Tiatia (the Ospreys backrow) they teach you a thing or two, but it’s great experience and I’m enjoying coming up against strong backrow units every week.”

“We have played against Edinburgh so often now that we know each other well. They play an expansive game and they’re not afraid to use a fast offload game. . .

It’ll be interesting to see whether Cheika decides to include another former Gonzaga pupil, Dominic Ryan, among the replacements. Like McLaughlin, Ryan is a player of considerable ability.

Edinburgh, despite missing one or two front line players, are probably closer to their strongest team than tonight’s opponents but this season Leinster have shown a greater facility to grind out results. This was epitomised in their victory over the Ospreys at the Liberty stadium where they defended aggressively.

They’ll need to repeat that in Edinburgh this evening and also restore a little of the attacking verve to their game plan. Berne will be a key player at outhalf; assuming the pack gives him a platform. Edinburgh are chasing a 10th successive Magners League victory – Leinster hold the record with 11 – and with the metronomic placekicking of Chris Paterson are difficult to oppose. But on the evidence of last week, Leinster might just make it fourth time lucky.

EDINBURGH: C Paterson; M Robertson, B Cairns, N De Luca, T Visser; P Godman, M Blair (capt); K Traynor, R Ford, G Cross; C Hamilton, S MacLeod; A MacDonald, Roddy Grant, A Hogg. Replacements: A Kelly, A Jacobsen, Ryan Grant/D Young, S Turnbull, S Newlands, G Laidlaw, J Houston.

LEINSTER: R Kearney; S Horgan, F McFadden, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; S Berne, E Reddan; C Healy, J Fogarty, S Wright; L Cullen (capt), N Hines; K McLaughlin, S O'Brien, J Heaslip. Replacements (from): B Jackman, M Ross, D Toner, S Jennings, D Ryan, S Keogh, J Sexton, G Dempsey.

Referee: T Hayes (Wales).

Last meeting: (April 2009 ML) – At Murrayfield: Edinburgh 27 Leinster 16

Verdict: Leinster to win.