MAGNERS LEAGUE - Edinburgh V Leinster:ALMOST THERE now. With one hand virtually on the trophy, an 11th successive Magners League victory this evening will effectively clinch the title for Leinster. And given the often morgue-like atmosphere at the 67,500-capacity venue, there would be a fitting sense of redemption were they to lay the ghost of past sins here.
An 11th win in a row would equal their record set in 2001-'02, when they won the league for the first time, and would mean only Munster could catch them.
That would be a tall order for Declan Kidney's team, as they would have to win all four of their remaining matches, starting at home to the Ospreys tomorrow evening. Were Leinster to secure a bonus point, it would take them to 59, the maximum Munster could achieve.
Murrayfield has been a graveyard for Leinster's ambitions, and it's remarkable to think that in seven previous visits they have lost all bar one. Even their solitary victory, on the last day of the season two years ago, was hollow, given it was against a second-string Edinburgh side and left Leinster two minutes away from being crowned champions, only for a David Humprheys' drop goal, via upright and bar, against the Ospreys to snatch the title for Ulster.
Overall, in 15 competitive meetings with Edinburgh, Leinster have managed only five wins, and twice their Scottish foes have done much to ensure their eviction from the pool stages of the European Cup, most notably this season of course. Losing out to Toulouse and Leicester was one thing, but that 29-10 defeat in Murrayfield last December remains the nadir of their season by some distance.
Michael Cheika's side are buoyed by the return of captain Brian O'Driscoll for his first game since tearing his hamstring in the penultimate game of the Six Nations at home to Wales. This is O'Driscoll's 12th appearance with them this season, and sixth in the league, and will mark his century of games for Leinster.
He made his provincial debut in a 31-20 defeat to Munster in Temple Hill in August 1999 (having made his Irish debut earlier that summer in Australia).
"If I'm honest about it, reaching this landmark wouldn't have been in my mind when I stepped out for Leinster against Munster that day in Temple Hill," O'Driscoll said yesterday. "I remember that we lost the match and my memory from the game was chasing John Kelly up the length of the pitch and not quite getting to him as he went in to score."
He was also a little sheepish about it taking so long. "My provincial debut came after my international debut, which was weird at the time, but looking back on my Leinster career it is a big thing for me. I look at friends who have reached the milestone before me and I don't know what it says about my fitness over the years that it has taken so many seasons of being a regular starter to accumulate 100 caps."
His tally of 41 tries makes for an impressive strike rate for a centre, and after the crushing disappointment of the World Cup and then the Six Nations, few would begrudge him a welcome return in time for Leinster's triumph.
O'Driscoll will partner Felipe Contepomi at centre, with Luke Fitzgerald reverting to right wing as Shane Horgan is ill.
In the pack, Trevor Hogan will line up in the secondrow, with Stephen Keogh alongside Shane Jennings and Jamie Heaslip as Michael Cheika continues to rotate his backrow resources.
Meanwhile, Greig Laidlaw is set to make his first start of the season for Edinburgh at scrumhalf. Up front, Argentina international Augusto Allori comes in for the injured Craig Smith while Scotland centre Nick De Luca, desperately seeking to recover some form after a Six Nations campaign which began horribly and, as can happen, never recovered, returns at centre with John Houston switching across to the wing to replace the injured Andrew Turnbull.
Edinburgh's season has hit a bit of a wall with one win (at home to Connacht) in their last six outings, though in a traditionally high-scoring fixture, they'll want to win their last home game of the season. Against Leinster, they'll fancy their chances.
But Michael Cheika's team have all the motivation they need. With the shift towards a ball-carrying pack rather than first opting for the big plays among their backs, they also have the means to make it 11 from 11.
EDINBURGH:H Southwell; S Webster, B Cairns, N de Luca, J Houston; P Godman, G Laidlaw; G Kerr, R Ford, A Allori, M Mustchin, B Gissing, A Hogg, A MacDonald, D Callam. Replacements: A Kelly, M Collins, F Pringle, S Newlands, B Meyer, D Blair, C MacRae.
LEINSTER:G Dempsey; L Fitzgerald, B O'Driscoll, F Contepomi, R Kearney; J Sexton, C Whitaker; O le Roux, B Jackman, S Wright, L Cullen, T Hogan, S Keogh, S Jennings, J Heaslip. Replacements (from): B Blaney, S Knoop, M O'Kelly, C Jowitt, K Gleeson, C Keane, C Warner, M Berne, G Brown.
Referee:Nigel Owens (WRU).
Forecast:Leinster to win.
Venue:Murrayfield
Kick-off:7.30
On TV:Setanta Sp 2
