Rugby is so big in Bordeaux that even the mascots are signing autographs.

You often see fans who get signatures on their skin eventually get them tattooed. Surely that can't be the case here?!

Image source, Inpho

Six tickets are booked for the quarter-finals, two places remain. Who will complete the line-up for the last eight?

Quarter-final draw (ties to be played on the weekend 11/12/13 April):

• Bordeaux-Begles or Ulster v Munster
• Toulon v Toulouse or Sale Sharks
• Leinster v Glasgow Warriors
• Northampton Saints v Castres

Semi-final draw (ties to be played on the weekend 2/3/4 May):

• Bordeaux/Ulster/Munster v Toulon/Toulouse/Sale
• Leinster/Glasgow v Northampton/Castres

The finals words are being said in the changing rooms before the teams come out into the afternoon sunshine in France.

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the Stade Chaban Delmas

Bordeaux-Begles can certainly make an entrance anyway.

About an hour and a half before kick-off, the players were greeted off the bus by a throng of supporters, an MC blasting tunes and a couple of spark cannons.

With the sun out too, the home supporters seem in great form.

Up against the top seeds it would be a real upset if Ulster manage to sour the mood over the next two hours or so.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Inpho

Ulster suffered more pain at the hands of a clinical French team as Bordeaux scored 26 unanswered points in the second half to win a thrilling pool encounter in Belfast in December

Having been decimated by Toulouse in France in their opener, Ulster built the platform for a bounce-back win with Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney and Werner Kok tries giving them a 19-14 lead at half-time.

Bordeaux took time to get going and flattered to deceive during a first half that yielded yellow cards for Marko Gazzotti, Jefferson Poirot and Yoram Moefana.

But like they did against Leicester last week, the Top 14 team showed their teeth in the second half and produced some thrilling rugby to which Ulster had no response.

After Tevita Tatafu's early score and a penalty try in the first half, Damian Penaud, Guido Petti, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Ugo Boniface all scored in a devastating second-half display to lift the visitors to a bonus-point win and leave Ulster empty-handed after the opening two rounds.

Game faces on.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

This is a huge game for Ulster, but it's particularly special for hooker Rob Herring, who will make his 150th appearance for the province.

After making his debut in 2012, it's been some journey for the Ireland international and he'll be hoping to get a famous win on his landmark appearance.

Ian Humphreys
Former Ulster fly-half Ian Humphreys on BBC Radio Sounds

If you go behind early on then it's game over, Bordeaux won't let you back into the game.

Zac Ward's inclusion for injured wing Robert Baloucoune is among three Ulster changes from last weekend's comeback win over the Stormers for Sunday's Investec Champions Cup last-16 game against Bordeaux at Stade Chaban-Delmas.

Baloucoune was forced off because of another hamstring injury after earlier scoring a try as he made his first appearance of the season for Ulster last weekend.

James Hume returns at centre in place of Ben Carson after being a late withdrawal from the Stormers game because of illness.

Ulster's other change is in the back row where James McNabney takes over from Matty Rea.

Ireland hooker Rob Herring's inclusion means he will become the first player to make 250 appearances for Ulster.

Ulster: Lowry; Ward, Hume, McCloskey, Stockdale; Murphy, Cooney; Warwick, Herring, O'Toole; O'Connor (capt), Treadwell; McNabney, Timoney, McCann

Replacements: Stewart, Reid, Wilson, Dalton, Matty Rea, Doak, Morgan, Moore.

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI Journalist at the Stade Chaban Delmas

A shame that the man Midi Olympique have this week called 'la nouvelle icon' isn't in action at the Stade Chaban Delmas this afternoon.

Louis Bielle-Biarrey is rested after his Six Nations heroics for France so Ulster won't have to try and contain a player who has scored a ludicrous 14 tries in his past nine matches for club and country.

Still, you think there'll be plenty for the visitors to deal with out there this afternoon.

Image source, BBC Sport

Bordeaux retain only six starters from their Pool match with Ulster in December, with star wing Damian Penaud, his fellow France Six Nations winner Maxime Lucu and former Ireland fly-half Joey Carbery all included.

Penaud, Lucu and centre Yoram Moefana all started in France's Six Nations-clinching victory over Scotland three weeks ago but player of the tournament wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey is not named in Bordeaux's matchday squad.

Prop Jefferson Poirot and Guido Petti, who switches from lock to the back row, are the pack survivors from the game in Belfast four months ago.

Bordeaux: Buros; Penaud, Moefana, Tapuai, Uberti; Carbery, Lucu (capt); Poirot, Lamothe, Tameifuna; Cazeaux, Coleman; Daiby, Petti, Samu.

Replacements: Latterrade, Perchaud, Falatea, Bochaton, Vergnes-Taillefer, Lesgourgues, Janse van Rensburg, Jalibert

BBC Sounds

You can listen to today's game live on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster.

Orla Bannon is joined by former British and Irish Lions Tommy Seymour, former Ireland back row Chris Henry and ex-Ulster fly-half Ian Humphreys are part of the coverage.

Image source, Inpho

If you didn't get enough drama from yesterday's Investec Champions Cup action, then we've a double helping of European rugby this afternoon.

First of all, Ulster will look to cause the upset of the competition by beating Bordeaux on their own turf.

Bordeaux ran out big winners in the pool stage fixture between the sides before Christmas, and will be big favourites to set up a quarter-final tie with Munster.

That's followed by Toulouse, still star-studded despite missing the injured Antoine Dupont, who host Sale Sharks.

We'll have live updates from both games here, so you won't miss a thing.