Leinster look to make in 19 straight wins as they head to Edinburgh

URC: Edinburgh v Leinster, The DAM Health Stadium, Edinburgh, Saturday, 5.05pm – Live on TG4 and Premier Sports

As an appetiser a week out from the eagerly awaited Scotland-Ireland Six Nations clash, Leinster put their extraordinary 18-match winning run in both competitions this season on the line in the Scottish capital.

Leo Cullen’s side welcome back two players from injury in the only changes from the side that beat the Dragons 43-14 at the RDS a fortnight ago.

Named at fullback, Ciarán Frawley features for the first time since October’s win against Munster in the Aviva Stadium in place of Jimmy O’Brien. After returning from injury in the Dragons match, Jason Jenkins makes his first start since the Champions Cup opener against Racing 92 in December, with Brian Deeny moving to the bench.

The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times

---

Connacht suffer blow to playoff hopes after Manie Libbok kicks Stormers to victory

---

What has David Nucifora ever done for Irish rugby?

---

Munster move to the URC summit after narrow Edinburgh win

---

Jordan Larmour, Jamie Osborne and Scott Penny are all named in the team, after featuring in Ireland’s extended Six Nations squad.

Edinburgh have performed strongly in the Champions Cup, augmenting a double over Castres by beating Saracens at home to earn a Last 16 tie at Leicester. But they’ve fallen off the pace after winning just one of their last seven URC games, at home to Zebre Parma, to slip to 11th. Even so, they remain in the playoff picture and welcome back Stuart McInally and prolific Argentinian Emiliano Boffelli from injury.

The last eight meetings between these two have all been won by the home side. This is Leinster’s first visit to the DAM Health Stadium, although they haven’t beaten Edinburgh away since September 2016, having lost 29-24 in Myreside the following season and by 28-11 on their last visit to the Scottish capital in March 2019.

EDINBURGH: Emiliano Boffelli; Damien Hoyland, Mark Bennett, James Lang, Wes Goosen; Charlie Savala, Ben Vellacott; Boan Venter, Stuart McInally, Lee-Roy Atalifo; Marshall Sykes, Sam Skinner; Luke Crosbie (capt), Hamish Watson, Viliame Mata.

Replacements: Dave Cherry, Jamie Jack, Elliot Millar-Mills, Jamie Hodgson, Nick Haining, Charlie Shiel, Jaco van der Walt, Chris Dean

LEINSTER: Ciarán Frawley; Jordan Larmour, Liam Turner, Jamie Osborne, Dave Kearney; Harry Byrne, Luke McGrath; Michael Milne, John McKee, Michael Ala’alatoa; Ross Molony, Jason Jenkins; Rhys Ruddock (capt), Scott Penny, Max Deegan.

Replacements: Lee Barron, Jack Boyle, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Will Connors, Nick McCarthy, Charlie Tector, Rob Russell.

Referee: Craig Evans (WRU).

Forecast: Leinster to win.