Edinburgh face big test in bid to halt high-flying Ospreys side

WHAT is a few million pounds between teams?

The answer will be laid bare tomorrow in a second Magners League contest in Scotland in a fortnight when the relatively cash-rich Ospreys pitch up without their Wales internationals to play an Edinburgh side shorn of theirs by the RBS Six Nations Championship demands.

The Welshmen, who have taken over top spot in the Magners League from Glasgow after Sean Lineen's men fell to Cardiff's superior strength in depth, are favourites after naming a side yesterday featuring a back row of former All Blacks in Jerry Collins, Marty Holah and Filo Tiatia, a second row of Wales caps, a half-back pairing released by the Welsh management that many reckon could take Wales into the next World Cup and a sprinkling of caps across the threequarters that includes Scotland wing Nikki Walker.

Yet, missing on Test duty are Shane Williams, Tommy Bowe, Lee Byrne, James Hook, Ryan Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Huw Bennett, Paul James and Adam Jones while another eight players are injured, most notably Alun Wyn Jones, prop Duncan Jones and back row Tom Smith. That kind of squad costs money, more than double that which Rob Moffat has to spend at Edinburgh each year.

He has just three players rested before Scotland's next match, the Calcutta Cup game at Murrayfield next Saturday, in Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford and Jim Hamilton, but is also now missing the injured Chris Paterson and Jim Thompson.

Scotland subs Mike Blair, Phil Godman, Nick De Luca and Alan MacDonald are released and Blair will captain Edinburgh as he continues to develop his match fitness after a period of injury.

Edinburgh have a young pack and they will face a massive physical test in contact, but it is a talented eight and if the forwards and Mike Blair can get quick ball to skilful backs they have the wit to find ways through the Ospreys' perennially-offside defensive line, if, that is, Irish referee George Clancy is on the ball.

Both teams also have the new motivation of a top-four place and a spot in the play-offs, and with Scotland having struggled to find the players to win Test matches this year there are opportunities for those on the home side to make a play for Calcutta Cup inclusion.

Ospreys coach Sean Holley knows that finances and strength in depth is crucial to sides' ability to stay on the title scent through the Six Nations window, and views this game as vital to his hopes of a play-off spot.

"This is the tightest I've ever seen the Magners League, and with seven games to go there's still a lot to play for," he said. "We know it's going to be a hard game, but we've prepared really well for it."

Edinburgh: B Cairns; M Robertson, N De Luca, J Houston, S Webster; D Blair, M Blair (capt); K Traynor, A Kelly, G Cross, S MacLeod, S Turnbull, A MacDonald, R Rennie, R Grant. Subs: A Crombie, R Grant, C Hamilton, D Callam, G Laidlaw, P Godman, T Visser.

Ospreys: G Owen/B Davies; J Vaughton, S Parker, A Bishop, N Walker; D Biggar, M Phillips; R Bevington , R Hibbard/E Shervington, C Mitchell, I Gough, I Evans, J Collins (capt), M Holah, F Tiatia. Subs: E Shervington/M Breeze, C Griffiths, A Lloyd/J Goode, S Tandy/B Lewis, J Nutbrown, A Beck, B Davies/G Owen.