Ben Te’o insists he is not feeling the pressure of following in Brian O’Driscoll’s footsteps ahead of his first GUINNESS PRO12 appearance for Leinster.

Matt O’Connor’s side host Edinburgh on Friday night, boasting an unbeaten run at the RDS that stretches to 22 games – including 16 successive victories.

And they will be boosted by the inclusion of Te’o, a rugby league convert who completed 80 minutes in the British & Irish Cup last weekend and lines up at outside centre.

Elsewhere Kevin McLaughlin returns after a knee injury to captain the side from the back row, in one of eight changes to the team that beat Castres last weekend.

Tom Denton makes his first start of the year in the second row, while Michael Bent switches to loose head prop in front of him and Tadhg Furlong is selected at tight head.

The back three remains the same but Luke McGrath and Jimmy Gopperth make up a new half-back pairing while Noel Reid is joined by Te’o in the centres.

And the 27-year-old insists talk of filling Leinster legend O’Driscoll’s boots is some way off the mark.

“If you’re going somewhere trying to be someone else, or fill their shoes, I think you’re putting pressure on yourself that you don’t need,” Te’o told the Irish Times.

“He’s a great player. I know what he’s done. But, I think we would have two completely different skills sets. I think I bring something different to the table and that’s why they brought me here.

“I haven’t set any goals. It’s early days. I just want to earn the respect of my teammates, make them think that I should be here, that I’m good enough.

“If I can get into the team, cement a spot, that’s a big plus for me. That would be a big achievement. That is as far as I’m looking at the moment.”

Edinburgh have made a stuttering start to the GUINNESS PRO12 season but a double European triumph in the last fortnight means they now have three wins on the bounce in all competitions.

However, they have not won four in a row since the 2009/10 season and with just one win in their last eight clashes with Irish provinces – and no victories away to Leinster since 2005 – the form book makes for tricky reading.

Alan Solomons has also been forced to ring the changes, with 18 players on the treatment table and two away with the Scotland squad.

Nick McLennan and Joaquin Dominguez start at full-back and outside centre respectively while Dougie Fife – a late injury withdrawal from last Friday's XV – returns on the wing and Andries Strauss takes the inside centre jersey and captain's armband.

James Hilterbrand, who came off the bench last week to put in a performance at flanker, start at hooker, with Ben Toolis moving up to start at lock – he is joined in the second row by Jack Turley.

Magnus Bradbury makes his senior debut on the blindside, with Tomas Leonardi at openside and David Denton at the base of the scrum.

“In all my years of coaching at professional level, I've never experienced an injury list like we have at present,” said Solomons.

“Eighteen players injured and two on national duty presents a huge challenge for the team, especially as we are playing last year's champions, Leinster, at the RDS.

“It is an opportunity for many of our young players and will be a chance to see how they measure up at this early point in their careers.”

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At RDS Arena, 7.35pm. Live on TG4/BBC ALBA
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 115th competition game)
Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson, Stuart Douglas (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Eugene Ryan (IRFU)
TMO: Kevin Beggs (IRFU)