Tom Stewart crashes over for Ulster's first try of the game.

Bulls now have some momentum, securing the ball from the lineout and work their way across the pitch.

However, a Johan Goosen cross-field kick goes straight into the hands of Rob Baloucoune who breaks and James Hume kicks deep into the Bulls 22.

Bulls manage to clear their lines - a breathless couple of minutes!

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at Kingspan Stadium

Tom Stewart is just ridiculous, isn't he? He's a try-scoring machine.

Lineout maul for Ulster which has proved such an effective platform for them.

They work their way forward with some strong carries and are now pummelling the Bulls' line.

They have a penalty and choose to go for a quick tap...

Bulls out-half Johan Goosen is trying to probe Ulster's back three with a variety of kicks but Ulster have dealt with it well.

Both sides trying to gain the ascendency in terms of territory.

Ulster now find themselves in the Bulls half and have a penalty and look to go to the corner...

Gianluca Gnecchi blows the whistle and we're off here in Belfast.

The Bulls collect the kick and clear their lines.

Stockdale collects but is held up and it is a scrum on the half-way line to the Bulls.

Both sides are ready to get on the new 3G pitch at the Kingspan stadium in Belfast as we approach kick-off.

It’s the first game back at the Kingspan Stadium in over five and a half months and, despite an incredibly wet weekend in Belfast, the weather has cleared up just in time, making it ideal conditions for rugby.

Just a couple of minutes until we kick-off…

Last time Ulster faced the Bulls was a 32-23 home win in March which meant the province became the first BKT URC team to defeat all four South African teams.

Rob Baloucoune scored on the wing to give Ulster an early lead but went into half-time eight points behind the Bulls, after South Africa international Kurt-Lee Arendse and Zak Burger's converted tries gave them a lead in the contest.

The night will be remembered for Ulster hooker, Tom Stewart, getting Ulster back into the lead with a hat trick of tries on the night.

Bulls

Bulls coach Jake White makes just one change to the starting line-up which thrashed Scarlets 63-21 in Pretoria last week.

Veteran Cornal Hendricks replaces Harold Vorster at inside centre while among the replacements, Chris Smith comes in for Jaco van der Walt.

Former Ulster back row Marcell Coetzee will make his return to Ravenhill in the colours of the Bulls.

Bulls:Williams; de Klerk, Kriel, Hendricks, Jacobs; Goosen, Papier; Steenekamp, Grobbelaar, W Louw; Vermaak, Nortje; Coetzee, E Louw, Hanekon.

Replacements:van der Merwe, Matanzima, Smith, Ludwig, Carr, Burger, Smith, Gans.

Ulster

Ulster have made six personnel changes from the side which started against Zebre last week for Sunday's URC game against the Bulls at Kingspan Stadium.

Tight-head prop Tom O'Toole returns after being part of Ireland's World Cup squad while Alan O'Connor comes in to captain the team from the second row.

Nick Timoney plays at number eight.

Among the backs, Rob Baloucoune and Jude Postlethwaite are drafted in while Billy Burns starts at fly-half after impressing off the bench in Italy.

Dave McCann moves to openside flanker to accommodate the inclusion of Timoney, who was also introduced as a replacement in last week's 40-36 bonus-point win over Zebre at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.

Ulster:Addison; Baloucoune, Hume, Postlethwaite, Stockdale; Burns, Doak; Warwick, Stewart, O'Toole; O'Connor (capt), Treadwell; Ewers, McCann, Timoney.

Replacements:Andrew, Reid, McGrath, Izuchukwu, Marcus Rea, Shanahan, Moore, Lowry.

Jacob Stockdale started four of Ireland's five matches at the 2019 World Cup, including the quarter-final defeat by New Zealand, but his hopes of getting a second crack at rugby's showpiece were dashed when he was left out of Andy Farrell's 33-man squad.

As Ireland experienced the ecstasy (beating South Africa) and agony (yet another quarter-final exit) of World Cup rugby again, Stockdale watched on from home.

"It was obviously really disappointing for me," Stockdale told BBC Sport NI.

"Going to a World Cup is a huge goal for any international rugby player so I was disappointed to miss out.

"But at the same time Faz [Farrell] has built a really good quality squad with loads of competition and it was just one of those things were it made more sense for him to take other players than to take me and I completely understand that.

"That doesn't mean it's not disappointing and a bit frustrating, but I get it."

Image source, Inpho

Ulster half-back Nathan Doak says the province's new 3G pitch at Kingspan Stadium should allow the team to play an exciting attacking brand of rugby.

Ulster's maiden competitive outing on the new artificial surface will be against the Bulls on Sunday in their first home game of the new URC season.

"It's definitely a lot quicker and definitely defending is a bit harder too," explained Doak.

"That will probably suit us with our backs and being a young team," he said.

Doak added: "We've got guys that can beat defenders and excite the fans on the 3G. Hopefully we'll see that at the weekend."

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at Kingspan Stadium

There has been a lot of talk about Ulster's new artificial 3G playing surface at Kingspan Stadium and, as the sun sets over Belfast, it is looking fine.

Especially from the media gantry, it's strange not seeing mud on the Ravenhill turf. It'll look even more bizarre after 80 minutes when Ulster's jerseys will still be that pristine white.

Both teams are warming up and one thing to keep an eye on is the bounce of the ball. It's like watching a bouncy ball the way it skips off the surface, so it will be interesting to see how that impacts things as we go on.

BBC iPlayer

You can watch today's game live on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.

There's plenty of power in the punditry team as former Ireland wing Tommy Bowe and ex-Irish back row Chris Henry join Stephen Watson.

Jim Neilly is on commentary duty alongside former Ulster fly-half Ian Humphreys.

Worrying about a hangover now the World Cup is over? Never fret! We've more rugby this evening as the United Rugby Championship resumes as Ulster take on Bulls in Belfast.

You can watch this one live on BBC Two NI and BBC iPlayer. We'll also have updates here so you won't miss a single thing!