Sky Live: Edinburgh host Cardiff in Challenge Cup quarter-finals
Watch Edinburgh v Cardiff live from 5.30pm on Saturday on Sky Sports Action
By Robert Mulhern
Last Updated: 31/03/18 6:22pm
Edinburgh second-row Grant Gilchrist is relishing his side's European Challenge Cup quarter-final match-up with Cardiff at Murrayfield on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Action from 5.30pm.
Gilchrist is one of only a handful of players who featured in Edinburgh's famous run to the Heineken Cup semi-final in 2012, and believes the Scottish club has the players to go all the way this time.
"A quarter-final of a European Cup...it's a massive game and we want a big crowd at Murrayfield," said Gilchrist. "Knockout rugby is exciting it what everyone wants to big involved with. We believe we can win it, if we get things right.
"I always believed that we have a really good group of players and every year we build up and turn things about. It's all credit to Cockers [coach Richard Cockerill] and the way he's got us playing. I've always seen the potential and it's about realising that potential.
"We need to make sure that every time we take the field, that we earn more and more respect. That's the goal and has always been the goal at the start of the season - and we are starting to turn a corner.
"At times people need a rocket and at times people need an arm around them. Cockers is an experienced Head Coach; he knows how to get the best out of players. The boys have really bought into the mentality he wants.
"When you're winning you have the confidence to see out these close games and any doubts seem to disappear."
Gilchrist will be hoping Saturday's encounter won't come down to the wire, but you'd certainly back the second-row, and his team-mates every step of the way.
For Cardiff, Gareth Anscombe and Josh Navidi return to their starting line-up as Blues look to extend their winning streak to eight games in Europe and PRO14. But coach Danny Wilson is wary of Edinburgh's physical threat:
"Any side that is coached by Richard Cockerill will be hard over the ball, defensively, and have a real contact area presence," said Wilson.
"A decent set-piece is another fundamental part of a Richard Cockerill side, and they will generally be a well-organised and gritty team. Edinburgh have proven this year that they are very difficult to beat and difficult to breakdown, with one of the best defences in the league.
"Our attacking game, we'd like to think, has the fundamentals and the capabilities of testing Edinburgh's strength in defence but we're fully aware it will be one of, if not the best defence we'll have had faced recently."
Edinburgh: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Chris Dean, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Nathan Fowles, 1 Jordan Lay, 2 Stuart McInally, 3 WP Nel, 4 Fraser McKenzie, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 7 John Hardie, 8 Bill Mata
Replacements: 16 Neil Cochrane, 17 Rory Sutherland,18 Simon Berghan, 19 Lewis Carmichael, 20 Cornell du Preez, 21 Sean Kennedy, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Phil Burleigh
Cardiff Blues: 15 Gareth Anscombe, 14 Blaine Scully, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Willis Halaholo, 11 Owen Lane, 10 Jarrod Evans, 9 Tomos Williams, 1 Gethin Jenkins, 2 Kristian Dacey, 3 Dillon Lewis, 4 George Earle, 5 Josh Turnbull, 6 Josh Navidi, 7 Ellis Jenkins, 8 Nick Williams
Replacements: 16 Kirby Myhill, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Anton Peikrishvili, 19 Seb Davies, 20 Macauley Cook, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Garyn Smith, 23 Matthew Morgan
In the other Challenge Cup quarter-final on Saturday, Connacht host Gloucester at The Sportsgrounds (kick-off 1pm).
For Connacht, Grand Slam winners Bundee Aki and Kieran Marmion return to the starting line-up.
The duo are named in the side alongside fellow Ireland internationals Quinn Roux and Ultan Dillane for the crucial knockout tie. And after much deliberation, Owen Williams has been named to start at fly-half for Gloucester.
On Friday, Newcastle beat Brive 25-10 and Pau defeated Stade Francais 35-32.