Other than Edinburgh, featured in our preview, plenty other Scots are in action this weekend:
- Sean Lamont returns on the wing for the Scarlets to face old club Northampton – now shorn of Scottish involvement – after scoring a try last weekend. Saints will put up a stern test at home, having lost in desperate circumstances over in Munster. Saints to win. (Friday, Sky Sports 2 from 7.30pm)
- Joe Ansbro has been picked at 13 (his best position) for London Irish in the key clash with Cardiff. Ross Samson continues to hold down the 9 shirt for the exiles while on the opposition team, Dan Parks lines up at 10 for Cardiff. A draw would be the perfect result here for Edinburgh fans. (Friday, Sky Sports Red Button or online, k.o 8pm)
- Nathan Hines starts at 5 for ASM Clermont while long lost hardman Jason White features on the bench for the match against Aironi. Should be easy for Clermont. (Not on TV)
- Kelly Brown starts at 6 for Saracens as they travel to Biarritz. Sarries could sneak an away win here but Biarritz will be keen not to end their campaign in Week 2. (Saturday, Sky Sports 1, from 1pm)
- Someone by the name of Maxwell Evans is listed as starting for Castres on the wing v Munster. Good to see Max in action on the wing where I reckon he belongs, and old hand Scott Murray is in the pack. Still though, might fancy Munster to squeak an away win? (Saturday, SS1, k.o 3.40pm)
- Alternatively you could watch Gloucester v Harlequins featuring a bunch of Scots, with Scott Lawson, Jim Hamilton and Strokosch (packing down at 8) in the pack and Rory Lawson marshalling the backs. (Saturday, SS Red Button, k.o 3.40pm)
- Simon Danielli continues at fullback for Ulster as they visit Welford Road for the teatime game. Ulster could struggle here – most teams do – especially without Paddy Wallace. (Saturday, SS1, k.o 6pm)
- Simon Taylor starts at 8 for Bath vs Montpellier. Fellow Scots Jack Cuthbert and Mark McMillan are on the bench (Sunday, SS3, k.o 3pm).
- As if that weren’t enough, Richie Vernon, Euan Murray, Bruce Douglas and Hugo Southwell are all in Amlin Cup action too.
- Also on this weekend: Treviso vs Ospreys, Connacht vs Toulouse. Should be two away wins.
Then there’s the big Sunday game for Glasgow. If they can squeeze out a result then they really gain control of the pool and things are looking up indeed. Still no Johnnie Beattie who is now injured, but 4-7 are picking themselves while Weir and Cusiter are starting to click at half-back. On the bench, serial twitterer and all-round hair legend Troy Nathan will be hoping to make an impact off the bench like he did last weekend when he put Stuart Hogg through a gap to score. Glasgow are growing in confidence, but beating Leinster in the PRO12 when the World Cup is on is not the same as beating them in the Heineken Cup.
Glasgow Team to face Leinster: 15. Stuart Hogg, 14. Tommy Seymour, 13. Pete Murchie, 12. Graeme Morrison, 11. Colin Shaw, 10. Duncan Weir, 9. Chris Cusiter, 1. Ryan Grant, 2. Pat MacArthur, 3. Michael Cusack, 4. Richie Gray, 5. Alastair Kellock, 6. Rob Harley, 7. John Barclay, 8. Ryan Wilson,
Replacements: 16. Finlay Gillies, 17. Jon Welsh, 18. Ed Kalman, 19. Tom Ryder, 20. Henry Pyrgos, 21. Chris Fusaro, 22. Troy Nathan, 23. Federico Aramburu
Sunday, Sky Sports 3, 12.45pm