Big guns boost for focused Leinster

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt has insisted his players are focusing only on Friday’s league trip to Edinburgh, rather than the do-or-die European matches beyond.

The Heineken Cup champions’ bid for a third straight European title could come to an end this month if they fail to collect maximum points from their remaining pool games against Scarlets and Exeter Chiefs. Yet as Schmidt prepares to welcome back a phalanx of international stars, including, he hopes, fit-again Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney and Brian O’Driscoll, the New Zealander believes Friday’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash at Murrayfield is just as important as Leinster aim to return to a top-four play-off spot.

After snapping a three-game losing streak in Europe and the league with a morale-boosting 17-0 win over Connacht on Saturday, Leinster lie fifth in the table, a point behind a Glasgow side which scored back-to-back wins over Edinburgh over Christmas.