Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors has an extra level of significance as bravery of hooker is hailed

Edinburgh are facing a straight shoot-out with Glasgow Warriors for a place in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup after results over the weekend crystallised the top eight places in the United Rugby Championship.

The two Scottish clubs are locked together on 50 points in joint seventh place and are both through to the URC play-offs. They meet each other at Murrayfield on May 21 in their final league match which will determine which side qualifies for the elite European tournament.

The match, which is also the second leg of the inter-city 1872 Cup, will decide the winners of the Scottish-Italian Shield, one of the four regional pools within the URC.

Eight teams from the URC will go through to the Champions Cup - the four pool winners and the next four highest-ranked clubs in the final league table.

No Welsh teams made the top eight but they will still supply a club to next season’s Champions Cup via the Welsh Shield, meaning either Edinburgh or Glasgow look set to miss out despite finishing above Scarlets, Ospreys, Cardiff and Dragons. The only realistic way both Scottish clubs can qualify for the Champions Cup is if the losing side at Murrayfield on May 21 goes on to win this season’s Challenge Cup.

It sets things up nicely for the derby and Mike Blair is anticipating a blockbuster.

“The big one to play for is obviously the Heineken Cup stuff,” said the Edinburgh coach after the 16-10 defeat by Ulster in which the hosts lost their unbeaten home record but gained a bonus point which sealed their play-off place.

“I reckon we can get an incredible crowd. It is the last regular game of the season and there is so much to play for. It will be brilliant to see a packed out Murrayfield.”

Edinburgh have received plaudits for