Edinburgh v Leinster: Teams

Edinburgh have made three changes, one positional, for Friday's Magners League clash against last season's runners-up Leinster at Murrayfield.

Argentine lock Esteban Lozada has recovered from the head knock he sustained against Munster and is restored to a second-row partnership with Scott MacLeod.

In the back-row, Ross Rennie returns at openside flanker with captain Roddy Grant switching to number eight as Netani Talei has a dead leg from last weekend's game against Ulster.

On the bench, international flanker Alan MacDonald could yet be involved in the match squad as he has made good progress from the hip injury he sustained in the opening league game at Cardiff.

Edinburgh head coach Rob Moffat reflected on the determination within the squad to post their opening league success of the season.

"I've said from the outset that there are quality teams in the Magners League and I don't think many teams will relish trips to Cardiff or Belfast this season," he said.

"We have to approach the Leinster game with both determination and confidence. It's our job this weekend to re-establish winning form on our own patch. We've done some good things in periods during all our games so far but we've also done a few basic things poorly."

The back division is unchanged from the Ulster game, meaning that full-back Chris Paterson, just six points away from reaching the 700 mark in the Magners League, is fit to resume.

Edinburgh have won two of their last three home matches against Leinster and Moffat is encouraging supporters to back his team on Friday.

"Traditionally both teams come to play an attractive brand of rugby in this fixture - we went over there at the end of last season and had secured the four try bonus point after 60 minutes - and it's important we give our fans something to get excited about on Friday," he added.

Ireland full-back Rob Kearney will make his 100th appearance for Leinster after he was included in an international-packed backline.

Kearney is joined by Jonathan Sexton, who joins lock Devin Toner in making their seasonal reappearance.

Skipper Shane Jennings joins Dominic Ryan and Stephen Keogh in the back row, while Isaac Boss, Jamie Heaslip and Cian Healy are named on the bench.

Edinburgh: 15 Chris Paterson, 14 Mark Robertson, 13 Ben Cairns, 12 Alex Grove, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Phil Godman, 9 Mike Blair, 8 Roddy Grant (c), 7 Ross Rennie, 6 Scott Newlands, 5 Scott MacLeod, 4 Esteban Lozada, 3 Geoff Cross, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Allan Jacobsen.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Kelly, 17 Kyle Traynor, 18 Jack Gilding, 19 Craig Hamilton, 20 Alan MacDonald/David Denton, 21 Greig Laidlaw, 22 David Blair, 23 John Houston.

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney 14 Shane Horgan 13 Brian O'Driscoll 12 Gordon D'Arcy 11 Luke Fitzgerald 10 Jonathan Sexton 9 Eoin Reddan 8 Stephen Keogh, 7 Shane Jennings (capt), 6 Dominic Ryan, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Ed O'Donoghue, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Jason Harris-Wright, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Simon Shawe, 19 Mariano Galarza, 20 Jamie Heaslip, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Isa Nacewa, 23 Eoin O'Malley.