Ulster have suffered a double injury setback as Steven Kitshoff's season has been ended by injury while James Hume has also sustained "a significant knee injury".

South Africa prop Kitshoff suffered his knee issue in the European Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat by Clermont Auvergne and following a scan and specialist opinion it was determined he had played his last game for the club.

It was announced in early April that Kitshoff would leave the Irish province at the conclusion of the campaign, with the 32-year-old set to rejoin the Stormers.

The double World Cup-winning forward travelled back to his home country this week, where he will see a knee specialist to decide on a treatment plan.

Centre Hume was injured during the United Rugby Championship win over Cardiff and will see a specialist knee surgeon.

Preparing to scrum against Springbok World Cup winners by day, polishing off chapters of his dissertation by night. Scott Wilson's breakthrough season at Ulster has involved something of a balancing act.

When the province brought in three tighthead props ahead of last summer's pre-season training - James French, Greg McGrath and Ben Griffin all arrived on deals of varying lengths, the latter pair having since departed - it primarily spoke to the need to fill the void left by Jeff Tomanga-Allen's exit and the unavailability of Marty Moore and Tom O'Toole through the early weeks of the season.

In addition, however, the moves hardly augured well for Wilson's prospects of being heavily involved in the senior set-up.

Yet the 21-year-old has featured consistently for both departed head coach Dan McFarland and now his interim replacement Richie Murphy.

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Image source, Inpho

Ireland player Stuart McCloskey's return at centre is among five Ulster changes from the last-gasp win over Cardiff for Friday's United Rugby Championship home contest against Benetton.

McCloskey replaces Jude Postlethwaite in one of four personnel changes to the backs.

James Hume's unavailability because of a knee injury sustained against Cardiff means that Rob Baloucoune returns at wing, with Michael Lowry and Will Addison switching to full-back and centre.

Billy Burns and John Cooney are drafted into the half-back roles after Jake Flannery and Nathan Doak picked up knocks against Cardiff.

Image source, Inpho

Good evening and welcome to our video and text coverage of tonight's United Rugby Championship game between Ulster and Benetton at Kingspan Stadium.

The battle for top eight places is roaring in a congested URC table and this evening two of the sides who are aiming to reach the end-of-season play-offs face off in Belfast.

Benetton sit fifth in the table prior to kick-off, with Ulster five places, but just three points, worse off.

Ulster fans will be hoping for a more convincing display than their side produced against Cardiff seven days ago against their Italian opponents, who boast much of their national side in their ranks.

We'll have full video coverage on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary and in-play clips of all the key moments.

Sit back and enjoy!