Heineken Cup: Edinburgh look to defy odds

MICHAEL Bradley is comfortable with the underdog tag as his Edinburgh side seek to continue a remarkable Heineken Cup campaign in today’s semi-final with Ulster, which kicks off at 5:45pm in the neutral Aviva Stadium.

Edinburgh travelled to Dublin yesterday with a starting XV unchanged following the 19-14 quarter-final win over four-time European champions Toulouse on 7 April. The only alteration to the 23-man squad is on the bench, where back-row Stuart McInally has been replaced by lock Steven Turnbull.

• Join The Scotsman’s rugby writer David Ferguson for a pre-match discussion and live updates from Ulster v Edinburgh, from 4.45pm

The players and their coach got a feel for the arena ahead of the big game, with a light training session yesterday and they are in a confident frame of mind.

Ulster, European champions in 1999, quarter-finalists last season and twice comfortable winners over Edinburgh in RaboDirect PRO12 competition this term, are highly fancied to advance to the May 19 final at Twickenham. But Bradley’s men have defied the odds time and again in Europe this term and are optimistic of doing so again.

“It’s easier going in as an underdog. It is an advantage to us,” said Bradley. “You know you have to be as sharp as you can be to match the opposition.”

Bradley admits the performances in Europe have been a “surprise” in his first season at Murrayfield. Edinburgh have enjoyed a stunning series of results, including the one-point wins over London Irish and Racing Metro, the latter in a 48-47 11-try thriller. There was also Phil Godman’s last-gasp drop-goal to seal success in Paris and Lee Jones’ late try against London Irish to secure top spot in the pool.

“The resilience of the lads has been excellent,” he said. “These are the pillars you build confidence on.”.

Edinburgh: T Brown; L Jones, N De Luca, M Scott, T Visser; G Laidlaw [capt], M Blair; A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross, G Gilchrist, S Cox, D Denton, R Rennie, N Talei

Replacements: A Kelly, K Traynor, J Gilding, S Turnbull, R Grant, C Leck, P Godman, J Thompson

Ulster: S Terblanche; A Trimble, D Cave, P Wallace, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; T Court, R Best, D Fitzpatrick, J Muller [capt], D Tuohy, S Ferris, W Faloon, P Wannenburg

Replacements: N Brady, P McAllister, A Macklin, L Stevenson, R Diack, P Marshall, I Humphreys, A D’Arcy

Referee: Romain Poite (France)

Assistant Referees: Jerome Garces, Pascal Gauzere (France)

TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)

Citing Commissioner: Alan Mansell (England)