LEINSTER bid to get last weekend's Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to Toulouse out of their system tomorrow when they take on Edinburgh at the RDS (6.15) seeking to gain winning momentum ahead of the Magners League play-offs.

It means 14 of the side that was out-gunned by Toulouse will take to the field tomorrow, with open side Dominic Ryan, coming in for the injured Shane Jennings, the only alteration to last weekend's starting XV.

Bernard Jackman was ruled out of selection due to a knee injury and may have played his last game of the season, but there is a welcome return for back-row Sean O'Brien who is named on an extended bench.

O'Brien's recovery from the broken leg he sustained in February is particularly timely with Ireland's summer tour a matter of weeks away and the Carlow man can expect to see some action in the second half if he is retained in the final seven replacements.

Girvan Dempsey should also be introduced to receive the approval of the RDS faithful after the popular Terenure man announced his retirement this week.

Edinburgh are chasing five points to keep alive their slim hopes of a play-off spot and welcome back experienced Scotland back-row Ally Hogg for his first start since December.

The Scots have a powerful front-row of Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford and Kyle Traynor while Dutchman Tim Visser brings power, pace and a nose for the tryline to the right-wing berth.

Making the play-offs requires five points from this clash and Cardiff Blues beating Munster at home tomorrow, with neither side claiming a bonus point.

It's a big ask but Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat believes his men have the ability to secure an unlikely four-try bonus-point victory in Dublin.

"We know what we have to do this weekend and the teams who finish in the top four and qualify for the play-offs are those who deserve to on their form over the whole season," said Moffat.

"We know we are capable of getting five points from the game in Dublin and that is not said with any disrespect to Leinster, who are among the best teams in Europe and who will be hurting at their Heineken defeat last weekend.

"It's said from the fact that when we play to the best of our ability, we can beat the best teams in Europe -- just as we have against Stade Francais, the Ospreys, Bath and Munster this season," Moffat continued.

Positive

Such a positive outlook does not sit well with Edinburgh's dire performance in their recent 25-37 home defeat to Ulster -- the result that sealed off Connacht's Magners League route to the Heineken Cup.

Furthermore, Leinster have won their last 14 league matches at their Ballsbridge home and, after their brave performance last weekend, will be desperate to reward their supporters with a comprehensive victory.

The home team look stronger in every area of the park and in Rob Kearney, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Isa Nacewa, they carry plenty of menace out wide.

It all points to a comfortable home win which should be adorned by plenty of tries, allowing Leinster to cruise into a home semi-final.

Verdict: Leinster

LEINSTER -- R Kearney; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, I Nacewa; S Berne, E Reddan; C Healy, J Fogarty, S Wright; L Cullen (capt), N Hines; K McLaughlin, D Ryan, J Heaslip. Reps (from): R Strauss, M Ross, CJ van der Linde, M O'Kelly, S O'Brien, Stephen Keogh, P O'Donoghue, F McFadden, G Dempsey.

EDINBURGH -- J Thompson; T Visser, B Cairns, N de Luca, M Robertson; P Godman, G Laidlaw; A Jacobsen, R Ford, K Traynor; S MacLeod, S Turnbull; A MacDonald, R Grant (capt), A Hogg. Reps: A Kelly, G Cross, J Hamilton, S Newlands, M Blair/D Blair, J Houston, A Turnbull.

REF -- J Jones (Wales).

Leinster v Edinburgh,

Tomorrow, live, Setanta Ireland, 6.15

- Hugh Farrelly

Irish Independent