Ulster return to the Affidea Stadium this Friday night for their opening fixture of the EPCR Challenge Cup, welcoming French powerhouses Racing 92 to Belfast for an 8pm kick-off. Confidence in the Ulster camp is high following last week’s emphatic 47–13 bonus-point victory over Benetton, a performance that blended attacking fluency with defensive resolve in impressive fashion.
Be there to watch Ulster back in action at Affidea Stadium!
Match Details
🤝 Ulster Rugby v Racing 92<br>
🗓 Friday 5th December 2025
🏟 Affidea Stadium <br>
🏆 EPCR Challenge Cup<br>
📺 Live on Premier Sports and EPCR TV
Building on Momentum
Richie Murphy’s side showed real grit and adaptability in that Benetton clash, trailing 13–12 at the break, Ulster unleashed a relentless second-half surge, running in five unanswered tries to claim a dominant win.
Robert Baloucoune and Werner Kok were electric in the back three, each helping themselves to a brace, while the collective energy in both attack and defence resembled the trademark ruthlessness Ulster supporters crave at home. This Friday kicks of the season's European competition with games against Cardiff, Toyota Cheetahs and Stade Français next.
Fixture Rewind
Fixture Rewind: Ulster 31–15 Racing 92, December 2023
The last time Ulster faced Racing 92 came in December 2023, when the home side produced a composed and clinical display to secure a 31–15 bonus-point win. Ulster crossed for four tries, three of them coming from sharp tap-and-go moves, with their blend of pace, physicality and smart game management proving too much for the visitors.
Racing rallied with two second-half maul tries, but Ulster controlled the key moments, defended with confidence, and kept the scoreboard moving to close out a memorable European victory under the Belfast lights.
That memorable win forms the backdrop to this week’s meeting; a new competition, a new era, and a fresh challenge, but the same belief that the Affidea Stadium can be the stage for another special European night.
Players to watch
Gaël Fickou:
The French international centre is as complete a midfielder as European rugby has to offer. A powerful runner, tenacious defender and natural leader, Fickou brings invaluable experience from Toulouse and Stade Français, and he was central to France’s 2022 Six Nations Grand Slam triumph. His ability to organise the defensive line and break it on the opposite side makes him a constant threat.
Hassane Kolingar:
Born in Paris and initially drawn to boxing, Kolingar swapped gloves for the oval ball as a teenager, a choice that quickly paid off, as he was capped for France at just 16. A standout in the French U20 side that won both the Six Nations and the World Rugby U20 Championship, his rise was briefly halted following a cardiac arrest nearly a year ago. His recovery has been remarkable, and he remains a dangerous, dynamic runner capable of breaking games open.
