Edinburgh v Leinster

[An Tarbh]

<div align="center">

Edinburgh v Leinster

</div>

Leinster travel to Murrayfield looking to avenge last season's 1 point defeat in the pool stages. Michael Cheika has brought Guy Easterby straight into the starting lineup in what is a genius decision as a player from NL2 going straight into a HEC side makes perfect sense :rahh:

Girvan Dempsey returns at full back with Rob Kearney switching to the wing and Luke Fitzgerald on the bench although the case had to be made for dropping Horgan to the bench instead of Fitzgerald. In the pack Keith Gleeson makes way for Shane Jennings.

Andy Robinson has also made changes to his side with Simon Webster making his first start in over 2 months. There's also several changes in the pack.

So can Leinster put their bogey team to the sword or will we yet again see the inconsistency that has so haunted their game in the Cheika era???

Edinburgh: 15 Ben Cairns, 14 Andrew Maxwell, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 John Houston, 11 Simon Webster, 10 Phil Godman, 9 Mike Blair ©, 8 David Callam, 7 Ross Rennie, 6 Simon Cross, 5 Ben Gissing, 4 Matt Mustchin, 3 Craig Smith, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Augusto Allori.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Kelly, 17 Allan Jacobsen, 18 Craig Hamilton, 19 Allister Hogg, 20 Ben Meyer, 21 David Blair, 22 Calum MacRae.

Leinster: 15 Girvan Dempsey, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O'Driscoll ©, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Rob Kearney, 10 Felipe Contepomi, 9 Guy Easterby, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Stephen Keogh, 5 Malcolm O'Kelly, 4 Leo Cullen, 3 Stan Wright, 2 Bernard Jackman, 1 Ollie le Roux.
Replacements: 16 Brian Blaney, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Cameron Jowitt, 19 Keith Gleeson, 20 Chris Keane, 21 Jonathan Sexton, 22 Luke Fitzgerald.

 

[An Tarbh]

Not sure why Edinburgh aren't down to 14 but we'll take the penalty try, Edinburgh defence is superb and their attack for their try was awesome, imagine the damage they'll do if they get a period of sustained possession. Uphill task for Leinster now.

 

[shtove]

Definite yellow card. Ref was very dodgy for the first half hour - how's about them crooked lineouts for Edinburgh?

Blair is brilliant in attack, but Leinster should win it with that scrum.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Stupidity from De Luca, that kick was 50:50 and wasnt easy to ground. Yet again the Edinburgh backline shows itself to be more effective than the much hype Leinster one.

 

[An Tarbh]

Our backline has been **** all season, typical we sort out the pack and then the backs go off the boil. Methinks Cheika's contract extension may be withdrawn if this result stands.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Mike Blair best scrum half in Britain!
Vote here, and HERE only!!

 

[ecks tartan army]

Great Result for Edinburgh. I really think they could achieve something of note if they could get out of that unatmospheric monster that is murrayfield for edinburgh matches. (and for once a slightly easier HC pool might help also)

The scottish sides are slowly beginning to earn the respect of the rest of Europe, and although Leicster wont be quaking in their boots at the thought of taking on Edinburgh in january it probably wont be as easy as expected. Anyone know the attendance at this game?

Next up for Edinburgh, Glasgow at home. first scottish derby of the season, and if recent form is anything to go by were in for an exciting contest.

As for Leinster though, does this spell the end of their Euro challenge, or can they recover and make the last 8?

 

[shtove]

Yeah, it's good to see Scots teams showing a bit of wit again.

But Leinster Leinster Leinster ... they were banging their heads against the Edinburgh wall last season as well.

Their backline isn't hyped - they have all the quality - but I think maybe there's a crucial problem at scrumhalf.

Oh, I don't know. Can't see them getting through.

 

[edinburgh_gunner]

Just back from the game, was a decent atmosphere where I was. I reckon the attendence might have been 4 or 5 thousand. Alot of who were Leinster fans I must add, but the Edinburgh lot made plenty noise.

Our defence was amazing again today. All season we've been a very attacking defence and very physical. Some good tackles and scramble defence. Our try-line defence was brilliant too. Penalty try probably was comming, but I could sit here and argue the letter of the law about number 8 binding an how the ball was technically out but hell no one really follows that so yeah, the penaltry try was probably fair. There were some very crooked throws on both sides today, went reletivley unpunnished. I actually thought the referee was decent, for a change. Mike Blair continues to impress, and a box drop goal kick? Ah it was tasty. Moved the ball well, had some good runs and good in defence yet again.

We're definatley improving.

 

[danny]

Mike Blair best scrum half in Britain!
Vote here, and HERE only!!
[/b]

There aint many better on current form.

 

[An Tarbh]

Great Result for Edinburgh. I really think they could achieve something of note if they could get out of that unatmospheric monster that is murrayfield for edinburgh matches. (and for once a slightly easier HC pool might help also)

The scottish sides are slowly beginning to earn the respect of the rest of Europe, and although Leicster wont be quaking in their boots at the thought of taking on Edinburgh in january it probably wont be as easy as expected. Anyone know the attendance at this game?

Next up for Edinburgh, Glasgow at home. first scottish derby of the season, and if recent form is anything to go by were in for an exciting contest.

As for Leinster though, does this spell the end of their Euro challenge, or can they recover and make the last 8?
[/b]

Not quite although we'll need an unlikely sequence of results to go our way to qualify starting tomorrow with Tigers winning at Toulouse, Edinburgh doing us a favour against Leicester and of course Leinster doing what appears impossible for them and putting together back to back quality performances to beat Toulouse and Leicester. So to answer your question we're probably screwed.

 

[Sir Speedy]

<div class='quotemain'>
Mike Blair best scrum half in Britain!
Vote here, and HERE only!!
[/b]

There aint many better on current form.
[/b][/quote]
Since Peel is off form, Phillips isn't even first choice at the O's and Stringer is absolute ********, Blair has to be the best atm.

 

[danny]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
Mike Blair best scrum half in Britain!
Vote here, and HERE only!!
[/b]

There aint many better on current form.
[/b][/quote]
Since Peel is off form, Phillips isn't even first choice at the O's and Stringer is absolute ********, Blair has to be the best atm.
[/b][/quote]

Gommersal is still a class act but on current form i agree Blair is the man . I thought he was a better player than Cusiter and should have been 1st choice for his countrya few years ago.
Looking back wasnt Gary Armstrong a fantastic scrum half in the 90s. Thats what i call a dogged muther f$%£"er.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
<div class='quotemain'>
Mike Blair best scrum half in Britain!
Vote here, and HERE only!!
[/b]

There aint many better on current form.
[/b][/quote]
Since Peel is off form, Phillips isn't even first choice at the O's and Stringer is absolute ********, Blair has to be the best atm.
[/b][/quote]

Gommersal is still a class act but on current form i agree Blair is the man . I thought he was a better player than Cusiter and should have been 1st choice for his countrya few years ago.
Looking back wasnt Gary Armstrong a fantastic scrum half in the 90s. Thats what i call a dogged muther f$%£"er.
[/b][/quote]

Agreed Gary Armstrong wasnt your typical scrum half, he was a bit bigger and more physical than the likes of Blair but i suppose thats how it was back then. Scotland have an imbarassment of riches at scrum half, with Blair,Cusiter and Lawson pity they dont have that sort of quality up front

Philips could be the best of the lot if he didnt have such strong competition from Marshall at his club which therefore makes it very tough to get straight in at Wales no.1. He's still young though and has plenty of time, how old is Marshall?