Much soul searching in the Leinster camp after defeats

HEINEKEN CUP EDINBURGH v LEINSTER:TO THE outside at least, Leinster are presenting a united and relatively calm front after successive defeats to Munster and Connacht as they enter the cavernous graveyard that has been Murrayfield on all but one of their previous nine treks.

But, facing into a pivotal, potentially season-defining game, inside it is clear that there has been much soul searching.

Shane Jennings admitted that "everybody's kinda hurting", and Shane Horgan conceded the visitors' dressingroom on Sunday evening was "very, very dark".

But while there had been plenty of individual and collective navel contemplation, Horgan countered that "luckily it's a Heineken Cup week this week and you don't have time to be too reflective". Their mood hadn't been helped, perhaps, by a morning's review of the Connacht game before moving on to prepare for Edinburgh yesterday afternoon.

"I don't think you get a lot of benefit from sweeping things under the carpet," said assistant/forwards coach Jonno Gibbes. "There will be a few lessons learnt. Not so much deficiencies but decision-making things addressed. And then you've got to move on. That's the natural process," he said.

Clearly, Leinster have coughed up too much ball which Gibbes attributed to "concentration".

It was also notable that only in the fall-out of Connacht going ahead with Mike McCarthy's 45th-minute try did Leinster start hitting the rucks a bit harder and in more numbers, thereby freeing up quicker ball and actually applying some continuity for the first time in the match. "It's something we've focused on in the last few weeks and I think that's probably been the most disappointing thing about it," admitted Jennings.

Leinster went through the ritual of announcing a 27-man squad for this game, recalling eight players not included in the 22 in Galway, including half a dozen Irish internationals, as well as Chris Whitaker and Ronnie McCormack, with only Brian Blaney, Fergus McFadden and Felix Jones making way so far.

Unlike Munster, whose team virtually picks itself, after five games Michael Cheika would still appear to have some issues to resolve. Neither Cheika nor backs coach Alan Gaffney were in attendance at yesterday's press conference, but when Cheika unveils his hand on Friday there will be particular interest in whether he retains faith in Jonathan Sexton or opts to move Felipe Contepomi back to 10 - where he played all six cup games last season and where he has been the first-choice outhalf in the competition for all but two games over the last three seasons.

This would mean accommodating Luke Fitzgerald alongside Brian O'Driscoll at outside centre (where the 21-year-old looked dangerous off limited rations) and - not that they all have divine rights to starting places - would enable Cheika to include all of Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan and Rob Kearney in Leinster's back three.

LEINSTER (Squad to face Edinburgh):Forwards: Cian Healy, Ronan McCormack, Bernard Jackman, John Fogarty, CJ Van Der Linde, Stan Wright, Leo Cullen, Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Devin Toner, Rocky Elsom, Cameron Jowitt, Sean O'Brien, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip, Stephen Keogh Backs: Chris Keane, Chris Whitaker, Jonathan Sexton, Luke Fitzgerald, Simon Keogh, Felipe Contepomi, Brian O'Driscoll, Gary Brown, Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey, Rob Kearney.

RUGBY FIXTURES

TODAY

Schools Interprovincials: Munster U-18 v Leinster U-18, Clonmel, 1pm. Munster U-19 v Leinster U-19, Clonmel, 2.30pm.

FRIDAY

Heineken Cup- Pool 1: Munster v Montauban, Thomond Park (8.0); Pool 3: Perpignan v Benetton Treviso (8.0).

European Challenge Cup - Pool 1: Dax v Connacht, Parc Municipal des Sports (7.00 local time/6.00 Irish).

SATURDAY

Heineken Cup - Pool 1: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Sale Sharks (1.35); Pool 2: Edinburgh v Leinster, Murrayfield (1.35); Pool 4: Llanelli Scarlets v Harlequins (3.30); Pool 4: Ulster v Stade Français, Ravenhill (3.30); Pool 5: Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors (2.30); Pool 6: Gloucester v Biarritz Olympique (5.30); Pool 6: Rugby Calvisano v Cardiff Blues (1.35).

AIB League - Division One (2.30): Galwegians v Dungannon, Crowley Park; Garryowen v Blackrock, Dooradoyle; Shannon v Buccaneers, Thomond Park; St Mary's v Ballymena, Templeville Road; Terenure v Clontarf, Lakelands Park; UCD v Cork Constitution, Belfield; Young Munster v Old Belvedere, Tom Clifford Park.

Division Two (2.30): Belfast Harlequins v Ballynahinch, Deramore Park; Bruff v Thomond, Kilbalyowen Park; Clonakilty v Greystones, Shannonvale; Lansdowne v Instonians, RDS; Old Crescent v Dublin University, Rosbrien; UCC v Highfield, Mardyke Grounds; Wanderers v Malone, Merrion Road.

Division Three (2.30): Ards v Corinthians, Hamilton Park; Barnhall v Connemara, Parsonstown; Nenagh Ormond v Carlow, New Ormond Park; Old Wesley v Banbridge, Donnybrook; Rainey v Midleton, Hatrick Park; Sunday's Well v Portadown, Musgrave Park; Suttonians v QUB, John J McDowell Park; Waterpark v Naas, Ballinakill.

SUNDAY

Heineken Cup - Pool 2: London Wasps v Castres Olympique (2.0); Pool 3: Leicester Tigers v Ospreys (1.0); Pool 5: Toulouse v Bath Rugby (3.0).

AIB League - Division One (2.30): Dolphin v UL Bohemians, Musgrave Park.

Division Two (2.30): Bective Rangers v DLSP, Donnybrook.