Full back spies a window of opportunity.

Byline: MICHAEL SCULLY

Edinburgh v Leinster, 6.30PM LEINSTER'S difficulty is Kevin McLaughlin's opportunity as he tries to nail down a place in the province's back-row - and fill the void caused by the departure of Rocky Elsom.

Aussie Elsom was Leinster's player of the year as they marched to Heineken Cup glory but his subsequent exit for life back home Down Under has left his former club with big shoes to fill.

Michael Cheika, below, has decided to do that in-house and Kevin McLaughlin has relished the chance so far to show what he can do in the Magners League, with tonight's visit to Edinburgh the latest start for the 25-year-old Dubliner.

"Rocky's departure certainly provided me with an opportunity and I'm enjoying every minute of it," admitted McLaughlin. "He set a very high standard in his time here and that's what I have to aim for when I play.

"Every week is a learning curve for me and last weekend was a case in point. When you come up against the likes of Marty Holah, Jerry Collins and Filo Tiatia they teach you a thing or two, but it's great experience and I'm enjoying coming up against strong back-row units every week.

"My goal at the start of the season was to play the first three games so I'm delighted to have done that, but I know that the hard work starts now.

"If you look at the back-row you have players like Sean O'Brien, Stephen Keogh, Shane Jennings and now Jamie Heaslip all fighting for places and that level of competition is healthy because you know that you have to perform every time you step out on to the field."

Heaslip makes his first Leinster start of the season, along with Luke Fitzgerald and Rob Kearney, after their excellent showing for the Lions in South Africa during the summer.

That means only Brian O'Driscoll is set to return - and he will be launched back into the action in next week's sellout clash with Munster at the RDS.

"There has been a good buzz around the camp this week with the Lions players returning and there were huge numbers in training in the early part of the week, which is good because it adds to the competition," acknowledged McLaughlin.

Kearney starts at full-back in a back three which also includes Shane Horgan and Fitzgerald, with Fergus McFadden partnering Gordon D'Arcy at centre. Eoin Reddan lines up alongside Shaun Berne at half-back.

In the pack, skipper Leo Cullen starts alongside new signing Nathan Hines with Heaslip forming a powerful back three alongside two recent Academy graduates Sean O'Brien and Kevin McLaughlin.

Cian Healy continues in the front row, alongside John Fogarty and Stan Wright, and Leinster don't have to be reminded about their poor record in Murrayfield.

"We have played against Edinburgh so often now that we know each other well," said former Ireland under-21 international McLaughlin.

"They play an expansive game and they're not afraid to use a fast offload game, so we will need to cut down on the space they have to manoeuvre in what I'm sure will be an open contest.

"In the first game of the season against the Scarlets I felt that we played well with the ball but we didn't front up physically. We had a long hard look at ourselves after that game and knew that we had to lift our physicality and we have improved in each of the victories over the Dragons and then the Ospreys.

"We know that we will have to raise our game again against the league leaders, but it's a game we're excited about and are going to approach in a positive frame of mind." LEINSTER: Kearney, Horgan, McFadden, D'Arcy, Fitzgerald, Berne, Reddan; Healy, Fogarty, Wright, Cullen, Hines, McLaughlin, O'Brien, Heaslip.

CAPTION(S):

OPPORTUNITY Kevin McLaughlin gets his chance tonight