Leinster bid to finish on high

Leinster’s turbulent season will come to an end in Murrayfield this afternoon, when Matt O’Connor’s side face Edinburgh in the final round of the Guinness Pro12 (3pm).

A 10-0 triumph over Benetton Treviso at the RDS last week has ensured the Blues will compete in next term’s European Rugby Champions Cup, but this fixture is certainly not a dead rubber for the hosts.

Alan Solomon’s charges lie five points outside of the top-six, and are also one point behind seventh-place Connacht. A play-off option is available to the team that finishes in this position, but even though an Edinburgh defeat may benefit Pat Lam’s men, Leinster lock Mike McCarthy (who had two spells with Connacht before joining Leinster in 2013) is primarily concentrating on the challenge they will face in the Scottish capital.