Edinburgh v Montpellier: Richard Cockerill names unchanged side for Champions Cup decider

Richard Cockerill has kept faith with the side that defeated Toulon last time out. Picture: SNS Group

The coach has stuck with the players who recorded a famous and historic win at Toulon’s Stade Mayol last Saturday, which kept them top of Pool 5 on 19 points - three ahead of tomorrow’s visitors, who are led by former Scotland coach Vern Cotter.

Edinburgh are looking to reach the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite competition for only the third time in their history and the first quarter-final since 2012, when they went on to reach the semi-finals.

A win would also ensure that Glasgow progress to the knockout stage for the second time before they play Saracens in London on Saturday.

• READ MORE - Edinburgh’s Pierre Schoeman relishes clash with Montpellier’s band of Boks

Cockerill said: “We’ve given ourselves the opportunity to finish top of the group and to be at home in the quarter-finals, so I want us to take that opportunity.

“All the pressure will be on them - they’re the A-listers. They’ve won one of their last 13 away European games and that was at Glasgow, but they’ll have expectations to get out of this group.

“I’m going to back ourselves however. They’ve got some great coaches and world class players, but we’re going to do everything we can to win on Friday night, and I believe we can do it if we get it right.”

Edinburgh are hoping for the biggest ever attendance for a European pool match in Scotland. Adult ticket prices increase by £5 from midnight on Thursday, so supporters are encouraged to secure their tickets from edinburghrugby.org today in order to beat the queues and save on matchday prices.

Edinburgh v Montpellier

Heineken Champions Cup Pool 5

Friday 18 January 7.45pm at BT Murrayfield, live on BT Sport

EDINBURGH

15. Blair Kinghorn, 14. Darcy Graham, 13. James Johnstone, 12. Chris Dean, 11. Duhan Van Der Merwe, 10. Jaco van der Walt, 9. Henry Pyrgos, 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. Stuart McInally (c), 3. WP Nel, 4. Ben Toolis, 5. Grant Gilchrist, 6. Jamie Ritchie, 7. Hamish Watson, 8. Viliame Mata. Subs: 16. David Cherry, 17. Allan Dell, 18. Simon Berghan, 19. Fraser McKenzie, 20. Luke Crosbie, 21. Nathan Fowles, 22. Simon Hickey, 23. Juan Pablo Socino,

MONTPELLIER

15. Frans Steyn, 14. Timoci Nagusa, 13. Arthur Vincent, 12. Jan Serfontein, 11. Henry Immelman, 10. Johan Goosen, 9. Ruan Pienaar, 1. Grégory Fichten, 2. Bismarck Du Plessis, 3. Jannie Du Plessis, 4. Nico Janse van Rensburg, 5. Jacques Du Plessis, 6. Fulgence Ouedraogo, 7. Yacouba Camara, 8. Louis Picamoles (c). Subs: 16. Vincent Giudicelli, 17. Usha Tcheisvhili, 18. Levan Chilachava, 19. Kelian Galletier, 20. Yvan Reilhac, 21. Benoit Paillaugue, 22. Vincent Martin, 23. Paul Willemse,

Referee: JP Doyle (England)