The same evening the first game of the two legged encounter to find out which is the top team in Scotland takes place at Murrayfield with the hosts hoping to break their record attendance for a Magners League fixture at the ground. In recent years the results have always gone with the home team on the day, and the bragging rights will not be decided until the return leg on 2 January.

The derby fixtures continue over the weekend - Saturday sees Ospreys welcome Scarlets to the Liberty Stadium where the hosts will be aiming to deny their visitors the opportunity of repeating last season's 'double' if they are to maintain their challenge on League leaders Munster. In Ireland a rejuvenated Ulster will be hoping for a long overdue victory over current Magners League champions Leinster. Only one match point separates the two Irish Provinces in the table so there is plenty at stake in this game.

The round concludes in Galway on Sunday when Connacht welcome table topping Munster to a packed Sportsground. Connacht will have to overcome nearly 30 years of history to claim victory in this fixture, but the fact that Munster have won just one of their last four games against fellow Irish teams should give them heart.

ROUND 8 FIXTURES

Friday 26 December
EDINBURGH v GLASGOW WARRIORS
At Murrayfield, 7.30pm. Live on Setanta Sports.
Referee: Neil Paterson (SRU, 9th League game). Assistant Referees: David Changleng (SRU), Alan Forrest (SRU).
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT Magners League MEETINGS
Date	Venue	E	G	Edinburgh scorers	Glasgow Warriors scorers
Fri 30 Sep 05	Murrayfield	28	12	Scott Murray(T) Rory Lawson(T) Rob Dewey(T) Chris Paterson(2C/D/2P)	Scott Lawson(T) Andy Craig(T) Dan Parks(C)
Sun 4 Dec 05	Firhill Arena	6	46	Duncan Hodge(2P)	Johnnie Beattie(T) Kevin Tkachuk(T) Colin Gregor(T/4C/2P) Graydon Staniforth(2T) Graeme Morrison(T) Dan Parks(C)
Fri 29 Sep 06	Murrayfield	14	9	Hugo Southwell(T) Chris Paterson(2P) Duncan Hodge(D)	Colin Gregor(D) Dan Parks(2P)
Fri 22 Dec 06	Hughenden	27	34	Marcus Di Rollo(2T) Hugo Southwell(T) Chris Paterson(3C/2P)	Dan Parks(T/2C/2D/3P) Andrew Henderson(T) Dan Turner(T)
Fri 28 Dec 07	Murrayfield	35	31	David Callam(T) Ben Cairns(T) Phil Godman(3C/3P) Mike Blair(T) Simon Webster(T)	Kelly Brown(T) Dan Parks(T/2C/4P) Moray Low(T)
Fri 11 Apr 08	Firhill Arena	14	23	Phil Godman(3P) Andrew Turnbull(T)	Dan Parks(2T/2C/2D/P)

Edinburgh lost their two games against London Wasps in the European Cup, but have won their last two matches in the Magners League, against Connacht and the Ospreys. Edinburgh have won three of their last four games at Murrayfield in the Magners League.

Glasgow Warriors also lost their home and away encounters against Bath in the European Cup, but have won their last two matches in the Magners League against Leinster and Cardiff Blues. Glasgow have not won away from home since a trip to the Dragons on 5 September.

The last nine meetings between these two old rivals have all been won by the home team on the day, with the last side to buck that trend being Edinburgh with their 25-16 victory at Hughenden on 27 December 2003. The last time Glasgow won in Edinburgh was 33-26 at Myreside in the Welsh-Scottish League on 15 September 2000.

NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS v CARDIFF BLUES
At Rodney Parade, 2.05pm. Live on BBC Sport Wales and Setanta Sports.
Referee: James Jones (WRU, 22nd League game). Assistant Referees: Hugh Watkins (WRU), Huw David (WRU).
TMO: Huw Lewis (WRU).

HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT Magners League MEETINGS
Date	Venue	N	C	Newport Gwent Dragons scorers	Cardiff Blues scorers
Tue 27 Dec 05	Arms Park	23	41	Nathan Brew(T) Rhys M. Thomas(T) Ceri Sweeney(C/2P) Jon Bryant(T)	Nick Robinson(T/C/3P) Craig Morgan(T) Ryan Powell(T) Jonah Lomu(T) T.Rhys Thomas(T) Rhys Williams(T)
Wed 19 Apr 06	Rodney Parade	13	18	Michael Owen(T) Craig Warlow(C/2P)	Mike Phillips(T) Chris Czekaj(T) Nick Robinson(C/D/P)
Wed 27 Dec 06	Rodney Parade	14	13	Nathan Brew(T) Ceri Sweeney(3P)	Ben White(T) Ben Blair(P) Xavier Rush(T)
Tue 1 May 07	Arms Park	20	31	Joe Bearman(T) Ceri Sweeney(2C/2P) Gareth Maule(T)	Ben Blair(4C/P) Tom Shanklin(T) Xavier Rush(T) Mike Phillips(2T)
Fri 7 Sep 07	Rodney Parade	13	40	Richard Parks(T) Aled Thomas(C/2P)	Nick Robinson(3C/D/2P) Tal Selley(2T) Rhys Williams(T) Mark Lewis(T) Jamie Roberts(T)
Wed 26 Dec 07	Arms Park	6	11	Ceri Sweeney(P) Aled Thomas(P)	Ben White(T) Nick Macleod(2P)

Newport Gwent Dragons ended a six game losing streak in all competitions with their 30-24 victory over Ospreys at Rodney Parade on 19 December. The Dragons' only reversal in Newport in their last five matches was 13-26 to Toulouse in the European Cup on 13 December.

Cardiff Blues tripped up 13-27 at Scarlets on Saturday and have not won away from home in the Magners League since their 26-17 victory at Ulster on 9 May. The Blues' only away victory over a fellow Welsh region in their last eight trips was 40-13 in this equivalent fixture last season.

Dragons have won just one of their last six encounters with the Blues: 14-13 at Rodney Parade on 27 December 2006.

Saturday 27 December
OSPREYS v SCARLETS
At Liberty Stadium, 5.30pm. Live on Setanta Sports and S4/C.
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 49th League game). Assistant Referees: Nigel Whitehouse (WRU), Alan Jenkins (WRU).
TMO: Derek Bevan (WRU).

HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT Magners League MEETINGS
Date	Venue	O	S	Ospreys scorers	Scarlets scorers
Fri 31 Mar 06	Stradey Park	17	30	Stefan Terblanche(T) Gavin Henson(4P)	Lee Byrne(T) Regan King(T) Mike Hercus(C/D/3P) Barry Davies(2P)
Tue 18 Apr 06	Liberty Stadium	25	13	Penalty Try(T) Gavin Henson(C/D/5P)	Matthew Watkins(T) Mike Hercus(C/2P)
Tue 26 Dec 06	Liberty Stadium	50	24	Lyndon Bateman(T) Lee Byrne(T) James Hook(4C/5P) Ryan Jones(T) Nikki Walker(T) Shaun Connor(C) Andy Lloyd(T)	Gavin Evans(T) Dwayne Peel(T) Penalty Try(T) Ceiron Thomas(3C/P)
Tue 24 Apr 07	Stradey Park	19	6	James Hook(T/C/D/3P)	Stephen Jones(2P)
Tue 11 Sep 07	Liberty Stadium	9	14	Shaun Connor(3P)	Adam Eustace(T) Ceiron Thomas(3P)
Thu 27 Dec 07	Stradey Park	12	17	James Hook(4P)	Nathan Brew(T) Gavin Thomas(T) Stephen Jones(2C/P)

Ospreys have lost three of their last four matches in the Magners League, but have won their last six games at Liberty Stadium in all competitions since an Edinburgh victory there 19-18 in the Magners League on 2 May. Ospreys only home loss to a fellow Welsh region since December 2005 was 9-14 to the Scarlets on 11 September 2007.

Scarlets ended a four game winless run with their 27-13 victory over the Blues on Saturday, but away from home the West Wales outfit have won just once in their last six matches: 26-17 at Saracens in the EDF Energy Cup on 5 October. Scarlets have won three of their last four encounters against fellow Welsh regions and achieved the Magners League double over Ospreys last season.

ULSTER v LEINSTER
At Ravenhill, 7.30pm. Live on Setanta Sports.
Referee:George Clancy (IRFU, 30th League game). Assistant Referees: P Fitzgibbon (IRFU), L Colgan (IRFU).
TMO: Trevor Collins (IRFU).

HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT Magners League MEETINGS
Date	Venue	U	L	Ulster scorers	Leinster scorers
Sat 1 Oct 05	Donnybrook	23	30	Paddy Wallace(T) Neil Best(T) David Humphreys(2C/3P)	Ciaran Potts(T) Denis Hickie(T) Felipe Contepomi(C/6P)
Mon 26 Dec 05	Ravenhill	19	24	Tommy Bowe(T) David Humphreys(C/4P)	Gordon D'Arcy(T) Girvan Dempsey(T) Felipe Contepomi(C/4P)
Sat 2 Dec 06	Ravenhill	6	6	David Humphreys(2P)	Gordon D'Arcy(D/P)
Sun 31 Dec 06	Lansdowne Road	12	20	Paddy Wallace(D/3P)	Owen Finegan(T) Felipe Contepomi(C) Jamie Heaslip(T) Denis Hickie(T) Johnny Sexton(P)
Fri 26 Oct 07	Ravenhill	16	16	David Humphreys(C/D/2P) Andrew Trimble(T)	Gordon D'Arcy(T) Johnny Sexton(C/3P)
Wed 26 Dec 07	Royal Dublin Society	0	29		Felipe Contepomi(2C/5P) Cian Healy(T) Jamie Heaslip(T)

Ulster are unbeaten in their last four matches in all competitions since their 21-42 reversal at Harlequins in the European Cup. The Ulstermen have won their last three games at Ravenhill in the Magners League. Ulster's last defeat to a fellow Irish side at Ravenhill was when Munster were the visitors on 23 March 2007.

Leinster ended a three game losing run in the Magners League with their 29-13 victory over the Dragons at the RDS on 29 November. Leinster's only away victory in their last seven matches in all competitions was 27-16 at Edinburgh in the European Cup on 11 October. The Leinstermen have lost both games they have played against fellow Irish provinces this season.

Ulster have not beaten Leinster since a 28-6 victory at Ravenhill in the league on 7 May 2004.

Sunday 28 December
CONNACHT v MUNSTER
At Sportsground, 6pm. Live on Setanta Sports.
Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU, 36th League game). Assistant Referees: D Wilkinson (IRFU), M Black (IRFU).
TMO: Peter Ferguson (IRFU).

HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT Magners League MEETINGS
Date	Venue	C	M	Connacht scorers	Munster scorers
Sat 1 Oct 05	Sportsground	19	44	Conor McPhillips(T) David Slemen(2P) Paul Warwick(C/2P)	Gary Connolly(2T) Frank Sheahan(T) Marcus Horan(T) Federico Pucciariello(T) Ronan O'Gara(4C/3P) Paul Burke(C)
Tue 27 Dec 05	Thomond Park	17	36	Joe Merrigan(T) Paul Warwick(T/2C/P)	Denis Leamy(T) Paul O'Connell(T) Anthony Horgan(T) Federico Pucciariello(T) Jeremy Manning(C/4P) Ronan O'Gara(C)
Sun 3 Dec 06	Thomond Park	0	13		Ronan O'Gara(C/2P) Christian Cullen(T)
Sun 31 Dec 06	Sportsground	8	14	Mark McHugh(P) Gavin Williams(T)	Ronan O'Gara(P) Jeremy Manning(2P) Tomas O'Leary(T)
Thu 27 Dec 07	Musgrave Park	0	17		Paul Warwick(4P) Denis Leamy(T)
Fri 28 Mar 08	Sportsground	5	16	Danny Riordan(T)	Paul Warwick(2P) Doug Howlett(T) Ronan O'Gara(C/P)

Connacht won both home and away matches against Rovigo in the European Challenge Cup, but in the Magners League have lost their last two games; against Edinburgh and Ulster. Connacht have already beaten an Irish province at home this season, lowering the colours of Leinster in Galway on 5 October.

Table topping Munster's only loss in their last seven matches in the Magners League was 6-22 at Ulster on 25 October. The Munstermen have won just one of their last four games against fellow Irish teams: 18-0 at Leinster on 28 September.

Connacht have not beaten Munster since a 11-9 victory at Thomond Park in the Interprovincial Championship on 22 November 1986, and have not beaten them in Galway since 1979.

Andrew Farley is in line to make his 100th start in a Magners League game.