European Rugby Challenge Cup: London Welsh v Edinburgh preview
Last Updated: 12/12/14 5:00pm
Edinburgh will look to do the double over London Welsh and extend the Exiles woeful start to the season when they meet in the European Rugby Challenge Cup on Sunday.
It will be a second meeting in as many weeks for the sides, with the Scots running out 25-13 winners at Murrayfield last weekend to maintain their perfect start to the tournament.
Welsh, meanwhile, are yet to pick up a win in the Challenge Cup or Aviva Premiership this season and the chances of Justin Burnell’s men bucking the trend this weekend at the Kassam Stadium are slim once again.
Edinburgh lead the standings in Pool Four after they came from behind to beat London Welsh last weekend.
Welsh looked on course to register their first victory in all competitions when they led 13-6 at half-time thanks to an interception try from Rhys Crane and eight points kicked by Gordon Ross.
Edinburgh's Tom Heathcote had kept his side in touching distance, however, with two penalties in the first half and WP Nel's try early in the second period further reduced the deficit.
Welsh tired as the game went on and Edinburgh took full advantage as Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and Neil Cochrane came off the bench to score two more tries, both converted by Hidalgo-Clyne, and seal a hard-earned victory.
Biggest critics
Despite claiming victory, Scotland flanker Roddy Grant believes Edinburgh have more to show as they look to seal a quarter-final berth.
"We are our own biggest critics and we know it wasn't good enough,” Grant told European Rugby.
Burnell has made a raft of changes to the London Welsh side that lost last weekend, with just five men retaining their starting berths.
Elliot Kear, Carl Kirwan, Eddie Aholelei, Alan Awcock and Chris Elder are the only survivors from the side which lost at Murrayfield.
As Edinburgh strive for four wins from four in Europe, fly-half Greig Tonks will be running out for his 50th cap for the club.
There are seven changes to the starting XV that beat London Welsh in the opening double-header. Jack Cuthbert comes in at full-back with Dougie Fife, a late injury withdrawal last weekend, returning on the right wing.
London Welsh: 15 Elliot Kear; 14 Chris Elder, 13 Alan Awcock, 12 Tom May (capt), 11 Nick Scott; 10 Olly Barkley, 9 Rob Lewis; 1 Eddie Aholelei, 2 Nathan Morris, 3 Taione Vea, 4 Dean Schofield, 5 James Down, 6 Peter Browne, 7 Carl Kirwin, 8 Lachlan McCaffrey
Replacements: 16 Nathan Vella, 17 Ricky Reeves, 18 Ben Cooper, 19 Matt Corker, 20 Ben Pienaar, 21 Paul Rowley, 22 Piri Weepu, 23 Nick Reynolds
Edinburgh: 15 Jack Cuthbert; 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Tim Visser; 10 Greig Tonks, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; 1 Rory Sutherland, 2 Neil Cochrane, 3 John Andress, 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Ben Toolis, 6 Tomas Leonardi, 7 Roddy Grant, 8 Mike Coman (capt)
Replacements: 16 James Hilterbrand, 17 Grant Shiells, 18 WP Nel, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 Stuart McInally, 21 Grayson Hart, 22 Tom Heathcote, 23 Sam Beard