Ulster recorded their third consecutive bonus-point Guinness PRO12 win as they overcame a battling Zebre side 40-17 at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma.

Ulster ended their four-game losing run in all competitions in resounding style by racking up a 24-18 bonus-point victory over Edinburgh in the Guinness PRO12 at the Kingspan Stadium.

“We are going into a very noisy stadium, a real cauldron, and we have to be ready for the welcome we’ll undoubtedly get, but we are looking forward to the return game, and go to France determined to get the win we need to keep our quarter-final hopes alive.”

Make or break, must win, season-defining – all terms which have been used to describe Ulster’s Champions Cup tie with French giants Clermont Auvergne in Belfast this afternoon.

With three wins, including a first over New Zealand, November has been a hugely encouraging month for Joe Schmidt and Irish rugby in general. So what were the major discussion points?

Just short of 10 months ago, Munster pulled off one of the most important wins of their 2015/16 season when they beat Ulster by two points (9-7) in the Guinness PRO12 at Kingspan Stadium. 

Guinness PRO12 leaders Ulster left it late to beat Ospreys as Paddy Jackson's 79th-minute penalty secured the hosts a 9-7 victory.

New Zealander Charles Piutau is anxious to get back into Ulster action for the visit of the winless Scarlets to the Kingspan Stadium this evening (7.05 pm),

Ulster 18 Connacht 10: For Ulster the misery of the a month which saw them slump to fifth ended in a hard-fought win in Belfast over a Connacht side which never took a backward step but was undone by injuries and some unforced errors.

Ulster 56 Oyannax 3: Eight tries, all converted, and a clinically attacking Ulster got the bonus point win over Oyannax on Saturday at the Kingspan Stadium needed to prolong – for 24 hours at least – hopes of a Champions Cup quarter-final spot.

Ulster 38 Toulouse 0: Four times French giants Toulouse have visited Belfast, and each time left with the tails firmly stuck between their legs.

South Africa’s World Cup scrum-half Ruan Pienaar will make his 100th appearance for Ulster when they face provincial rivals Leinster at the RDS this evening in an important Guinness PRO12 clash.

Ulster’s new director of rugby Less Kiss has named Rory Best and Ruan Pienaar on the bench for tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 clash away to Newport Gwent Dragons.

Ireland winger Andrew Trimble can push aside the disappointment of not being on World Cup duty when he becomes Ulster’s most-capped player this evening when Guinness Pro12 rivals Benetton Treviso visit the Kingspan Stadium.

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.

Eoin Reddan believes Ireland can be more assured about what they will bring to the table at the World Cup in England later this year than was the case in New Zealand in 2011 or France eight years ago.

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.

If ever there was a week to symbolise exactly how far Ireland’s national team has come, this is it. 

Ireland rugby coach Joe Schmidt has brought in Ulster's Roger Wilson and Munster's Billy Holland to the Ireland squad ahead of Sunday’s Six Nations clash with England at the Aviva.

Craig Gilroy will become the youngest player to win 100 caps for Ulster when he lines out against Benetton Treviso at Kingspan Stadium tomorrow night, kick off 7.35pm.

Joe Schmidt knows his Ireland side has plenty of work to do if they are to match England's opening-night power show in Wales and make a successful RBS 6 Nations title defence over the next six weeks.

The Ireland coaching staff has named a 38 player squad for the first two rounds of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Ireland Wolfhounds 9 England Saxons 18

The Ireland coaching staff has today named an extended squad of 46 players for the upcoming RBS 6 Nations matches against Italy and France, as well as the Ireland Wolfhounds fixture against the England Saxons.

Joe Schmidt faces many difficult decisions over the next few weeks when it comes to deciding on the best available teams to defend the RBS Six Nations Championship.

Ulster have made four personnel changes and Leinster five for the PRO12 meeting between the two sides in the RDS tomorrow afternoon.

Ulster’s playmaker scrum-half, Ruan Pienaar, has timed his return to rugby to perfection.

IRELAND flanker Robbie Diack is itching to prove that Ulster are not yet out of Europe, despite the fact that they have only accrued one point from their two opening games in Pool 3.

Munster 21 Ulster 20

GUINNESS PRO12:

Rory Best will start for Ulster against Munster in tomorrow's match at Thomond Park while Munster coach Anthony Foley has named a strong squad bolstered by a number of returning internationals.

New Munster loanee Pat Howard will be a man on a mission when he makes his home debut against Ulster on Friday night, looking to impress his coaches on two continents.

AUTUMN INTERNATIONAL:

As expected, Joe Schmidt has made wholesale changes to the side that beat South Africa last weekend for this Sunday’s match against Georgia

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has named a 37-man squad for the forthcoming Guinness Series against South Africa, Georgia and Australia.

Neil Doak has made three changes to the side that recorded a

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Ulster make ten personnel changes and two positional switches to the side beaten by Zebre last weekend as they prepare to welcome Edinburgh on Friday night.

GUINNESS PRO12: