Edinburgh side named for Leinster test
30 Jan 2026Edinburgh Rugby has named its side to face Leinster in tomorrow evening’s BKT United Rugby Championship clash at Aviva Stadium (Saturday 31 January, kick-off 5.30pm) – live on Premier Sports.
Scotland trio Duhan van der Merwe, Freddy Douglas and Magnus Bradbury are all released from Six Nations training camp for the match-up in Dublin as Edinburgh make six changes to their starting XV.
Winger Malelili Satala starts in place of Darcy Graham – who remains with the national squad – while the tight-five sees a reshuffle.
Props Boan Venter and Paul Hill, academy hooker Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, and lock Callum Hunter-Hill all get the nod, with Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D’arcy Rae and Grant Gilchrist retained by Scotland.
In the back-row, Ben Muncaster replaces the injured Liam McConnell, who is set for a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a rib injury against Vodacom Bulls last weekend.
Ahead of the clash, Head Coach Sean Everitt said: “Going away to Leinster is one of the toughest tests in the URC, but it’s a challenge we’re ready to embrace – we’re going over there to have a real crack at it.
“Magnus [Bradbury] resumes the captaincy and his experience in these big away fixtures is invaluable for the group.
“We know exactly what we are capable of when we put it all together. The key for us this week is consistency; we need a complete 80-minute performance to get the result we want.”
Harry Paterson continues at full-back, anchoring a dynamic back three alongside Van der Merwe and Satala.
In the midfield, Wes Goosen is once again deployed at outside-centre, renewing his partnership with James Lang. The half-back duo of Ross Thompson and Ben Vellacott remains unchanged.
Venter, Blyth-Lafferty and Hill form an all-new front-frow as Glen Young continues at lock alongside Hunter-Hill.
Scotland back-row trio Muncaster, Douglas and Bradbury complete the pack.
Edinburgh Rugby team to face Leinster at Aviva Stadium in the BKT United Rugby Championship
Saturday 31 January (kick-off 5.30pm) – live on Premier Sports
15. Harry Paterson (23)
14. Malelili Satala (1)
13. Wes Goosen (67)
12. James Lang (86)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (111)
10. Ross Thompson (35)
9. Ben Vellacott (87)
1. Boan Venter (98)
2. Jerry Blyth-Lafferty (1)
3. Paul Hill (27)
4. Callum Hunter-Hill (29)
5. Glen Young (60)
6. Ben Muncaster (53)
7. Freddy Douglas (17)
8. Magnus Bradbury (145) CAPTAIN
Replacements
16. Harri Morris (14)
17. Mikey Jones (4)
18. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (8)
19. Tom Dodd (19)
20. Connor Boyle (45)
21. Charlie Shiel (85)
22. Cammy Scott (27)
23. Piers O’Conor (11)
Unavailable: Charlie McCaig (knee), Rhys Litterick (achilles), Rob Carmichael (wrist), Mosese Tuipulotu (knee), Tom Currie (knee), Luke Crosbie (hamstring), Sam Skinner (hamstring), Paddy Harrison (back), Marshall Sykes (arm), Findlay Thomson (hand), Dylan Richardson (ribs), Conor McAlpine (hamstring), Matt Currie (hamstring), Liam McConnell (ribs), James Whitcombe (hamstring), Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D’arcy Rae, Grant Gilchrist, Darcy Graham (all international selection).
