Ulster 39 Clermont 32: Ulster has enjoyed some spectacular victories in Europe but, surely, none can have matched this lunchtime encounter for excitement, unpredictability and high-class rugby.

Ulster’s young international star Iain Henderson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring tear.

Ireland flanker Chris Henry cannot wait to get involved with the Ulster side now that Director of Rugby Les Kiss has finally arrived at the Kingspan Stadium.

He came here to replace the irreplaceable and has done a great job for us.

Tonight: Thomond Park, 6pm

Former Irish international Conor O’Shea fears that a huge injury toll will derail Ireland’s bid for World Cup glory.

Ulster made an ideal start to their PRO12 campaign with a bonus-point win over a lacklustre Opsreys.

Discarded Ireland wing Andrew Trimble gets a chance to show what he is made off as Ulster’s quest for Guinness Pro12 success begins in earnest at the Kingspan Stadium this evening when Ospreys are the visitors.

International centre Luke Marshall is likely to start as an emergency fly-half when Ulster play the Ospreys in the Guinness Pro12 opener at the Kingspan Stadium tomorrow night.

Ireland international wingers Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble start for Ulster in the pre-season game against Edinburgh at Goldenacre tonight (6:30).

When Ulster coach Neil Doak named 33 players in his matchday panel for tonight’s friendly with Leinster (7.30pm), he said he was throwing down a challenge in his squad.

Given Matt O’Connor was fired as head coach by Leinster and Neil Doak is filling the role at Ulster until the arrival of Les Kiss, one might have expected Munster’s Anthony Foley to be displaying signs of pressure in the build-up to Saturday’s Guinness Pro12 final against Glasgow Warriors at the Kingspan Stadium, Belfast.

Glasgow 16 Ulster 14: Glasgow left it late to book a place in the Guinness Pro12 final after a nail-biting 16-14 win over Ulster at Scotstoun.

Ulster signalled its serious intent for tonight’s Guinness Pro12 semi-final at Glasgow Warriors by naming its strongest possible side.

While it had initially looked like Matt O’Connor would see out the final year of his contract with Leinster, yesterday’s news of his departure wasn’t all that surprising.

Ulster head coach Neil Doak has decided that though a win in Glasgow this afternoon is both possible and rich with reward, he’ll put the Top Four play-offs at the top of his list of priorities.

Ulster will make some changes to the side which dramatically earned a last-gasp draw with Munster for the province’s final regular season Pro12 game at Glasgow Warriors on Saturday afternoon.

Ulster 23 Munster 23: It may not have felt like it at the time, as Paddy Jackson’s excellent conversion sent a sold-out Ravenhill into raptures, but it may well be Munster rather than Ulster who finish the season with more to celebrate.

Ulster’s decision to appeal Iain Henderson’s sending off at Ravenhill on Saturday would be understandable to Munster head coach Anthony Foley who described the punishment issued by referee Nigel Owens as “an unfortunate circumstance”.

Guinness Pro 12 

An enormous game for both teams. So said Tommy Bowe earlier this week of tonight’s Guinness PRO12 meeting in Belfast between Ulster and Leinster.

Ulster must end a nine-year wait for silverware if they are to be truly taken seriously as a force in Europe, according to Tommy Bowe.

As it stands, the provinces enjoy limited access to those players who are regular members of Joe Schmidt’s squad and, though this has been the case for some time now, calls for more flexibility have been louder this year.

It has been framed as a mission impossible, but Matt O’Connor’s coaching colleagues in Munster and Ulster believe Leinster can return from France next Sunday with Toulon’s scalp swinging from their pelts.

Connacht 20 Ulster 27: Ulster’s title hopes and Connacht’s less ambitious but equally important Champions Cup qualification dreams both remain on target after a seven-try Pro 12 thriller at the Galway Sportsground.

Tommy Bowe notched his 60th and 61st Guinness Pro12 tries as Ulster led from start to finish in a 27-20 bonus point win over Connacht at the Sportsground.

Newport Gwent Dragons 26, Ulster 22: Ulster suffered a blow in their charge for the Guinness Pro12 play-offs after strugglers Newport Gwent Dragons claimed a 26-22 victory at Rodney Parade yesterday.

Gwent Dragons v Ulster

Ian Humphreys will again be dictating matters for Ulster when they travel to face in-form Edinburgh at Murrayfield this evening.

Guinness Pro12: Ulster winger Andrew Trimble faces a battle to be fit for the World Cup after undergoing surgery yesterday.

It hasn’t been the greatest few months for Ireland’s batch of indigenous coaches, what with the struggles of Anthony Foley’s Munster and Neil Doak’s Ulster, but Nigel Carolan hopes to change that trend.

Ulster 26 Leicester 7: European Champions Cup Pool 3: Darren Cave helped clip the Tigers’ claws in an attritional Champions Cup clash at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday when Ulster had their bonus point on the board by the 50th minute before a brickwall defence proved almost impenetrable.

European Champions Cup Pool 3

Treviso 20 Ulster 24: This was one of the most astonishing games in the league for a long time.

Ulster survived a strong rally from Benetton Treviso to record a vital 24-20 victory in the Guinness PRO12 at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo.

Ireland’s Jared Payne returns to a strong Ulster’s match-day squad for tomorrow’s difficult Pro12 trip to Treviso.

Leinster 24 Ulster 11