Both sides head into the fixture looking to improve on recent URC form. Both provinces have won four of their opening seven fixtures, with Ulster losing out to Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby in the past two rounds.
Connacht are also looking for a reaction after their URC losses against Leinster at the Sportsground and Vodacom Bulls in South Africa.
The Investec Champions Cup has offered Ulster a chance to turn the tide, after an impressive 31-15 home bonus-point victory against French Top 14 leaders, Racing 92, at Kingspan Stadium.
Connacht started their European campaign off with two defeats against Bordeaux and Saracens, with last weekend's fixture turning into a cracker, with Saracens emerging the winners of a thrilling 13 try 55-36 match. Connacht showed their attacking threat against the premiership side after tries from Aki, Blade, Hanrahan, Joyce and Prendergast.
Both sides have already met each other in the URC this season, with Connacht edging a tight two point game by 22-20 at the Sportsground Stadium in Round 3.
Be there for our Christmas Interpro clash!
Ulster take on Interpro rivals, Connacht Rugby in Round 8 of the BKT United Rugby Championship at Kingspan Stadium.
With tickets selling fast, make sure to secure your tickets for the unmissable derby!
How It Stands
Match Details
🏟️ Kingspan Stadium
📅 Friday 22 December
🕰️ 7.35pm
🏆 BKT United Rugby Championship
📺 BBC NI, Viaplay and URC.tv
Connacht Squad Info
Mack Hansen returns to full training and is available for selection.
Unavailable:
Paul Boyle (eye injury), Diarmuid Kilgallen (hamstring), Oisin Dowling (shoulder injury), Colm Reilly (ankle), Oisin McCormack (hamstring), Santiago Cordero (knee) and Tiernan O'Halloran (foot).
Last Time Out
The word on many Ulster fans lips this week will be...revenge. The Westerners' last trip to Belfast ended up a frustrating night for the Ulstermen, as Connacht advanced to the semi-finals of the BKT URC Play-Offs with a 10-15 victory at Kingspan Stadium.
In a tight, cagey affair, it felt like the breakdown was the difference between the two sides as Connacht were winning the loose balls on the night and forcing Ulster into giving away some costly penalties.
A penalty from John Cooney gave the home side an early lead, but errors would allow Jack Carty to strike three pens, sending the away side into a 3-9 lead as they went into the sheds at half-time.
The second half got off to a poor start, as another penalty allowed Carty to kick his fourth penalty of the match and open up a 9 point lead.
Ulster did strike back past the hour mark, with captain, Alan O'Connor ,scoring after a driving maul, with Cooney adding the extra two.
Despite a period of sustained pressure, Connacht were able to hold off the waves of attack and countered, resulting in another penalty that Carty seized to edge the Westerners to a famous victory in Belfast.
You can read the full match report from the night here.
Players To Watch
The Mack is back to the delight of Connacht fans.
Ireland international wing, Mack Hansen, is still getting back to form following Ireland's World Cup quarter-final exit. Hansen is a big game player, who can carve holes in defences with his mazy runs and line breaks. Hansen is also an excellent finisher, and deadly when given space in the opposition 22. With Ireland and Connacht, Hansen has established himself as one of the finest wingers in world rugby.
World Rugby Player of the Year nominee, Bundee Aki, is back and has wasted no time getting back into the thick of things for his province. The centre was outstanding for Ireland in the World Cup, with his powerful drives, gainline speed, try-scoring and energy. Aki will no doubt relish going up against his fellow Ireland international teammate, Stuart McCloskey.
Cian Prendergast is one of the most promising young forwards in Irish rugby. Prendergast had an eventful match against Saracens in Round 2 of the Champions Cup as the powerful flanker was sent to the sin-bin and would later return to score a late try.
The back-rower has had involvement in the Ireland World Cup training camp and made his first international start against England in the Nations Series.
Did you know?
- The Ulstermen have lost just twice at Kingspan Stadium since New Year’s Day, to Connacht in last season's quarter final and to Edinburgh in Round 7.
- Ulster’s 21-14 victory at home to Munster in Round 4 ended a run of four successive defeats to fellow Irish provinces.
- Connacht’s only win in their last four BKT United Rugby Championship matches was 13- 12 over HollywoodBets Sharks in Durban in Round 5.