Rugby: Mike Blair on mend hands Rob Moffat boost for Cup

Scrum-half Blair has been missing since damaging an ankle in the Autumn internationals but according to Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat a return will occur sooner rather than later having had a special boot removed from his foot which aided recovery.

"Mike is rehabbing now, progressing well. He is getting closer (to a return]," said Moffat.

Meanwhile, Ulster have called in Irish defence coach Les Kiss in a move geared to stopping Edinburgh completing a Euro double over them.

And Kiss has done his homework on Edinburgh, saying: "We worked on what Edinburgh are going to throw at us.

"They have been a good team this year with ball in hand. They like to play with a bit of width in their game and we were covering a few of the basics on what we are trying to achieve defensively."

Edinburgh must set high standards based on try bonus points if they are to reach the knock-out stages since their maximum attainable points tally is 19 – and that has been sufficient to allow a side through only once.