| Interim head coach Todd Blackadder has made four changes, including one positional, to the side that lost 35-13 to Toulouse in the Heineken Cup at Stade Ernest Wallon last weekend.
The back-line is unchanged but in the front row Allan Jacobsen comes in at loosehead for Dave Hewett while Alastair Kellock rejoins the second row having recovered from a shoulder injury. In the back row Allister Hogg moves to the blindside in place of Matt Mustchin, who took a knock to his right shoulder in Toulouse on Friday night. Simon Cross fills Hogg’s berth on the openside of the scrum.
Edinburgh lost 23-11 against the Reivers at Netherdale in early October and on that defeat Blackadder said: “They cleaned us out last time – not everywhere – but they were the more physical side. We need to get a balance back because this is a crucial match for us. They are a strong side and growing in confidence and it’s been a tough few weeks for us in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup. We’ve pitched ourselves against the best and learned a lot from that.
“There’s no place like home and we’ve played really well here at Murrayfield this season. We want to go out on Monday and play well because we don’t like losing and we’ve got a lot to play for. We’re not down and we’re certainly not out,” he added.
15 Hugo Southwell
14 Chris Paterson CAPTAIN
13 Marcus Di Rollo
12 Peter Jorgensen
11 Simon Webster
10 Phil Godman
9 Mike Blair *
1 Allan Jacobsen
2 Dougie Hall
3 Craig Smith
4 Alastair Kellock *
5 Scott Murray
6 Allister Hogg *
8 Simon Taylor
7 Simon Cross
Substitutes
16 Andrew Kelly *
17 Dave Hewett
18 Alasdair Strokosch *
19 Alan MacDonald *
20 Rory Lawson *
21 Matt Dey
22 Francisco Leonelli
* indicates member of the Scottish Institute of Sport
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