Weakened Leinster likely to fall again on the road

Edinburgh v Leinster Murrayfield: The news that Simon Taylor returns to the Edinburgh team for the first time since January will be a cause for celebration to their coach, Frank Hadden, as well as Lions coach Clive Woodward, but perhaps most of all to Scottish coach Matt Williams.

The brilliant number eight enjoys O'Driscoll-like status in Scottish rugby, all the more so as the cupboard is comparatively bare.

The form team in Scotland at the moment, Edinburgh are going for a fourth successive win in all competitions; something they haven't achieved since last January, and a fourth win in a row at Murrayfield for the first time.

"We have won three games in a row, and although there has been a bit of a gap between games we definitely feel that we are making progress," said Hadden yesterday. "We want to finish the season on a high and we are delighted to have someone of Simon's pedigree available for selection this week."

For Leinster, in addition to their eight absentee internationals, Felipe Contepomi temporarily joins an extensive injury list due to a shoulder injury he picked up in training. And with Des Dillon inching his way back, Victor Costello plays in the second row. There's still no starting place for Aidan McCullen.

There's something about the chemistry between these sides which ensures frisky affairs: the previous five clashes averaged 60 points and seven tries per game. With Stuart Dickinson of Australia to become the first Southern Hemisphere referee to officiate at a Celtic League match, that trend is liable to be maintained.

"As it's our only game in February, it's a one-off but a big challenge in it's own right," Leinster coach Declan Kidney said. "Hopefully it will go better than our last visit to Scotland. Maintaining our top three place to get a home quarter-final in the Celtic Cup is important, because it is a tournament in its own right and could give us extra games."

EDINBURGH: D Lee; M Pyke, M Di Rollo, B Laney, S Webster; P Godman, M Blair; A Dickinson, D Hall, C Smith, N Hines, A Kellock, T Blackadder (capt), S Cross, S Taylor. Replacements: A Kelly, P Wharakura, F Pringle, D Callam, R Lawson, C Joiner, R Dewey

LEINSTER: D Hewitt; K Lewis, C Warner, D Quinlan, J McWeeney; D Holwell, G Easterby; J Lyne, D Blaney, R Nebbett, B Gissing, V Costello, K Potts, E Miller, S Jennings. Replacements: P Coyle, G Hickie, D Dillon, A McCullen, B O'Riordan, D McAlister, J Norton.

Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia).

Previous meetings: (00-01) (EC) Edinburgh 29 Leinster 21; (EC) Leinster 34 Edinburgh 34. (03-04) (CL) Leinster 30 Edinburgh 33; (CL) Edinburgh 40 Leinster 34; (CL) Leinster 35 Edinburgh 13.

Formguide: Edinburgh: LWLWW. Leinster: WWLLW.

Leading try scorers: Edinburgh: Derrick Lee 4. Leinster: Denis Hickie 5, Gary Brown 4.

Leading points scorers: Edinburgh: Chris Paterson 78. Leinster: David Holwell 86.

Forecast: Edinburgh to win.