Edinburgh head coach Michael Bradley has called on his troops to kick off the New Year in the best way possible, by taking down the defending European champions on Friday.

Bradley’s troops welcome Leinster to Murrayfield on a run of poor form that has seen the Scottish outfit lose their last four games in all competitions.

Indeed their only victory in their last six matches at Murrayfield was 23-13 over Ospreys in the RaboDirect PRO12 back in November.

But Bradley is hoping that the challenge of taking on Europe’s best but might be the catalyst to an improved 2013 campaign.

“The competitiveness of the RaboDirect PRO12 is exceptional, and there are few tougher challenges than hosting the current European champions,” he said.

“However, while we have a lot of respect of Leinster, we don't fear them and we are fully focused on kick starting the New Year at home after a tough December.

“We ran them close in Dublin earlier in the season and are looking forward to having another crack at them at home tomorrow night at Murrayfield.”

The one change to Edinburgh’s back-line sees Kiwi centre Ben Atiga start his first match since injuring his knee in October, to partner Matt Scott in midfield.

Willem Nel has recovered from the hamstring strain that ruled him out of last weekend's loss to Glasgow Warriors, and is preferred to Geoff Cross at tight-head prop in an otherwise unchanged tight-five.

Stuart McInally returns to the fold on the blind-side flank with David Denton offered a start at No.8, the position at which he has earned all nine of his Scotland caps to date.

Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt meanwhile has been boosted by the return from injury of Lions trio Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney and Brian O'Driscoll ahead of the trip to the Scottish capital.

Kearney – who will make his 122nd appearance for the province – is named in a pacy-looking back three alongside Fitzgerald and Fionn Carr, with O'Driscoll linking up in midfield with Gordon D'Arcy. Eoin Reddan, who is set to make his 75th Leinster appearance, partners Jonathan Sexton at half back.

Leo Cullen leads an all Ireland qualified starting XV which includes the likes of Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip and Sean O'Brien in the pack.

“We've still got plenty of work to do but at least we're close enough to be in the scramble for the semi-finals,” said Schmidt.

"We know from experience how difficult it is to win over in Edinburgh. A lot of our players have played under Michael (Bradley) at different levels for Connacht, the Wolfhounds or with the Ireland senior squad when he took interim charge a few years back – and all speak highly of him.

"Edinburgh will be keen to get back to winning ways after their narrow defeats to Glasgow over the Christmas period and they showed real character to come back and almost snatch the win last weekend after Glasgow got away to a flying start.

"Games between ourselves and Edinburgh are always tight affairs. We narrowly beat them earlier in the campaign in the RDS and it was nip-and-tuck last season over in Murrayfield when we managed to come out on the right side of a contest that see-sawed right up until the finish.”

At Murrayfield, 7.35pm.
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 7th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Peter Allan, Bob Nevins (both SRU)
Citing Commissioner: Paul Minto (SRU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

Live on BBC ALBA and TG4