Chris Paterson
Former Scotland international on Radio Scotland

Toulon have a lot of big units out there in the red shirts. Romain Taofifenua batters his way through a couple of plucky challenges before Edinburgh win the ball back by engulfing scrum-half Anthony Meric.

Edinburgh are forced into an early change as Grant Gilchrist goes off clutching his chest, with Jamie Ritchie off the bench.

Pick and go, pick and go. Edinburgh are right underneath the posts. Surely this time? Again, no. The ref spots an infringement in among the mass of bodies and Toulon are off the hook.

Jaco van der Walt pops over the first kick of the day to get Edinburgh in front.

Edinburgh centre Matt Scott eats up ground with a lovely, jinking break. Edinburgh have an overload on the left and an early try must be coming... but no, Allan Dell's pass is intercepted by Julian Savea.

The ref brings play back for an offside infringement and the hosts have a chance to get some points on the board.

As the smoke from the pre-match fireworks dissipates, Toulon get us started... Hold on to your hats.

Image source, SNS

Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill, talking to BBC Radio Scotland this afternoon.

"If you want to get out of the group, you need to win your home games.

"We have to start well, that first 20-25 minutes, to take the sting out of their game. We have to run their big forwards around and we need to control the ball.

"We've shown we can compete with the big teams but we need to deliver today. It's as simple as that. We've got to play our game and not go into our shells.

"At some point Toulon will hit their straps and come back to form. I just hope it's not today."

Could discipline be a factor today?

Toulon picked up three yellow cards last weekend, making life very difficult for themselves.

One of Edinburgh's many frustrations at Montpellier was not getting on the scoreboard during the 10 minutes the hosts were down a man.

Edinburgh may not have played Toulon before but head coach Richard Cockerill knows today's opposition well.

The 47-year-old joined the Top 14 side's coaching team after his sacking from Leicester in January 2017 and ended up in charge for the end-of-season run-in, losing in the league final, before his switch to Scotland.

"When you have as many high-class players as they have got, they’ve got some individual brilliance that can turn the game on its head," said Cockerill this week.

"They will be very motivated and I’m sure they will be very good. We just have to be better."

Image source, AFP

Edinburgh, who have been absent from this competition for five years, have never met Toulon before.

Toulon have lost six of their past seven away games in Europe but did enjoy their one and only previous visit to Scotland, with Jonny Wilkinson kicking five penalties in a 15-8 win over Glasgow Warriors back in January 2014.

Chris Paterson
Former Scotland international on BBC Sportsound

The straight-talking Richard Cockerill is always good for a quote and the Edinburgh head coach did not disappoint in his midweek media conference.

Reflecting on the gallant defeat at Montpellier, he had a few choice words...

"If it kills me, I’m going to get rid of this Scottish trait of ‘we’re always going to be second best and we’re going to be plucky losers’, because it does my head in,” he said. "I’m an arrogant Englishman and I expect to win; that’s just my nature, love it or not.

"Our lads have got to get that streak in us and we have to get it quickly. Now we know the level and know what it takes to play against big teams."

Image source, SNS

Despite Toulon's financial muscle and star-studded backline, Edinburgh will actually start with more internationals on the field today.

Eleven of the hosts' starting XV were among 15 Edinburgh players named in Gregor Townsend's Scotland squad this week for the autumn Tests starting in a fortnight with a trip to face Wales in Cardiff.

Add in Fijian number eight Viliame 'Bill' Mata, and that's a dozen home players with Test caps to their name, with four more - including Scotland's record cap holder Ross Ford - on the bench.

Toulon start with 10 internationals, six from France - including heavyweight centre Mathieu Bastareaud and brothers Sébastien and Romain Taofifenua - plus All Blacks Julian Savea and Malakai Fekitoa, Fiji wing Josua Tuisova and South African lock Jundre Kruger.

Image source, SNS

Edinburgh: Kinghorn; Graham, Johnstone, Scott, Fife; Van der Walt, Pyrgos; Dell, McInally (capt), Nel, Toolis, Gilchrist, Bradbury, Watson, Mata.

Replacements: Ford, Sutherland, Berghan, Crosbie, Ritchie, Fowles, Hickey, Dean.

Toulon: Bonneval, Tuisova, Fekitoa, Bastareaud (capt), Savea, Belleau, Meric; Fresia, Etrillard, Taofifenua, Kruger, Taofifenua, Rebbadj, Lakafia, Vanverberghe.

Replacements: Soury, Chiocci, Setiano, Potgieter, Ikpefan, Trinh-Duc, Escande, Gahetau.

Edinburgh make just one change from the side that lost in Montpellier, with Jaco van der Walt replacing Simon Hickey at fly-half.

Full teams coming right up...

Image source, SNS

Edinburgh also picked up a losing bonus point last weekend after their 21-15 defeat at Montpellier.

On paper, that looks respectable but it really was a wasted opportunity for Richard Cockerill's men against depleted opponents. Edinburgh gave away one very soft score and absolutely dominated the second half in the south of France but could only muster five points after the interval - with two tries disallowed.

"100% we should have won that game," Cockerill told BBC Scotland afterwards.

So, how will Edinburgh react after letting a great chance for a famous win slip away?

Image source, Getty Images

The French visitors won three successive European titles from 2013 to 2015 and reached the quarter-finals last year.

But this season has been a struggle so far and they currently sit 12th in the French Top 14 after just two wins in their first seven league games.

Last Sunday, they fell to just a second ever home defeat in Europe as Newcastle, bottom of the Premiership, hung on for a shock 26-25 success at the Stade Mayol.

Seconds out, welcome to round two in the European Champions Cup. Edinburgh and Toulon may be reeling after frustrating opening defeats but are certainly not down and out. A second successive defeat would, however, be difficult to come back from in this cut-throat competition.

With so much on the line already, it should be a cracking match at Murrayfield.

Image source, SNS