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Leinster are chasing a home game in the RaboDirect PRO12 Play-Offs and enjoy a 10 point lead over the second placed Ospreys and 12 point advantage over Munster Rugby and Glasgow Warriors in third and fourth place.
Joe Schmidt has decided to rest Brian O'Driscoll, Jonny Sexton, Brad Thorn, Leo Cullen and Sean O'Brien, but such is the strength in depth of the Leinster squad they will still field 10 internationals with two more on the bench.
Edinburgh coach Michael Bradley has stuck largely to the team that beat Toulouse in last weekend's record breaking Heineken Cup quarter-final at Murrayfield. His side's PRO12 form has been disappointing this season and they go into the final three games looking to climb up the table from 11th place.
In France, ASM Clermont Auvergne have a huge Top 14 fixture against Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finalists Stade Francais Paris at home. Clermont are currently second in the table behind Toulouse and are still keeping their dream alive of possibly doing the double.
Head coach Vern Cotter has rung the changes from the side that clinched a first Heineken Cup semi-final slot by beating English champions Saracens at Vicarage Road last Sunday. Clermont are unbeaten at home this season and key players have been rested.
In fact, Cotter has made 14 changes to the side that started against Saracens for Saturday's game, with ponly French wing Julien Malzieu surviving.
The fourth and final Heineken Cup semi-finalist, Ulster Rugby, travel to Connacht on Saturday for their second successive weekend of derby clashes. Last Sunday they headed south to Limerick to face, and beat, Munster in the quarter-finals of the Heinekne Cup, and this weekend they go west to Connacht to attempt to keep their PRO12 Play-Off hopes alive.
All Blacks prop John Afoa will be missing following his four week suspension for a dangerous tackle and Tom Court takes his place on the tight head.
Where to Find the Heineken Cup Semi-Finalists This Weekend
Friday, 13 April
PRO12: Leinster Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby (RDS, kick-off 19:45)
Leinster: Isa Nacewa, Dave Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Gordon D'Arcy, Fionn Carr; Ian Madigan, Isaac Boss; Heinke van der Merwe, Sean Cronin, Nathan White, Damian Browne, Devin Toner, Rhys Ruddock, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Jack McGrath, Martin Moore, Kevin McLaughlin, Leo Auva'a, Eoin Reddan, Noel Reid, Brendan Macken
Edinburgh: Tom Brown; Lee Jones, Nick de Luca, Matt Scott, Tim Visser, Greig Laidlaw (captain), Chris Leck; Kyle Traynor, Ross Ford, Geoff Cross, Esteban Lozada, Sean Cox, Stuart McInally, Roddy Grant, Netani Talei
Replacements: Andy Kelly, Robin Hislop, Jack Gilding, Grant Gilchrist, David Denton, Ross Rennie, Phil Godman, Jim Thompson
Saturday, 14 April
PRO12: Connacht Rugby v Ulster Rugby (The Sportsground, kick-off 17:15)
Ulster: Stefan Terblanche; Ian Whitten, Nevin Spence, Paddy Jackson, Adam D'Arcy; Ian Humphreys, Paul Marshall; Paddy McAllister, Nigel Brady (captain), Tom Court, Lewis Stevenson, Neil McComb, Mike McComish, Willie Faloon, Robbie Diack
Replacements: Andy Kyriacou, Callum Black, Adam Macklin, Ian Henderson, Ali Birch, Ruan Pienaar, Craig Gilroy, Michael Allen
Top 14: ASM Clermont Auvergne v Stade Français Paris (Stade Marcel Michellin, at 1:15)
ASM: Jean Marcellin Buttin; Brent Russel, Noa Nakaitaci, Gavin Williams, Julien Malzieu; Brock James, Ludovic Radoslavjevic, Vincent Debaty, Benoit Cabello, Daniel Kotze, Julien Pierre, Loic Jacquet, Jason White, Julien Bardy, Alexandre Audebert
Replacements: Ti'i Paulo, Lionel Faure, Elvis Vermeulen, Julien Bonnaire, Kevin Senio, Aurelien Rougerie, Lee Byrne, Davit Zirakashvili.
