Edinburgh have been dealt a blow ahead of their crunch URC clash against Zebre with Emiliano Boffelli ruled out of Friday night's game. 

The Argentine has been dealing with back issues over the last couple of months and the problem has returned with him being left out of the game at the Hive this weekend. 

He's one of two changes to the team that beat Cardiff two weeks ago with Mark Bennett coming into replace him, meaning Matt Currie returns to the wing where he played against Scarlets last month. 

Currie performed well there on the night but his move to the wing highlights the injury issues Edinburgh have in that position with Harry Paterson, Darcy Graham and Jake Henry all also ruled out of action. 

Currie is joined in the back three by Wes Goosen at fullback while Duhan van der Merwe keeps his usual position on the opposite side. 

Bennett comes into the centre alongside James Lang, while it's a half back partnership of Ben Healy and Ali Price once more. 

When Scarlets visited the Hive last month, Everitt decided to rest his entire front row before calling on them at half time and he's gone with his strongest trio again for Friday. 

They all started against Cardiff too and Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman and WP Nel will all begin the match this weekend. 

It's a similar story in the engine room with Sam Skinner joining captain Grant Gilchrist before the final changes comes in the back row. 

Scotland Rugby News: Grant Gilchrist

Jamie Ritchie begins on the blindside with Hamish Watson taking the number 7 jersey to start at openside, while Bill Mata returns to the starting XV at number 8 ahead of Luke Crosbie. 

Mata was an impressive and imposing figure when he came on against Cardiff two weeks ago and his return to the team comes as no surprise. 

Dave Cherry, Boan Venter and Javan Sebastian cover the front row as replacements while Marshall Sykes and Crosbie are also on the bench as part of a 5-3 split. Ben Vellacott, Cammy Scott, and Chris Dean make up the rest of the replacements. 

The teams

Edinburgh: Wes Goosen, Matt Currie, Mark Bennett, James Lang, Duhan van der Merwe, Ben Healy, Ali Price, Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, WP Nel, Sam Skinner, Grant Gilchrist (c), Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Viliame Mata

Replacements: Dave Cherry, Boan Venter, Javan Sebastian, Marshall Sykes, Luke Crosbie, Ben Vellacott, Cammy Scott, Chris Dean

Zebre: Geronimo Prisciantelli, Jacopo Trulla, Fetuli Paea, Enrico Lucchin, Simone Gesi, Giovanni Montemauri, Thomas Dominguez; Muhamed Hasa, Giampietro Ribaldi, Juan Pitinari, Matteo Canali, Andrea Zambonin, Giacomo Ferrari, Taina Fox-Matamua, Giovanni Licata (c)

Replacements: Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Samuele Taddei, Riccardo Genovese,  David Sisi, Bautista Stavile, Gonzalo Garcia, Damiano Mazza, Lorenzo Pani