Referee Craig Evans blows the whistle and we're off here in Treviso!

Aidan Morgan kicks deep into Benetton's half and it's knocked on.

Ulster on the front foot.

Both teams are finishing up their warm ups and the Stadio Monigo is filling up.

It's a chilly but clear day in Treviso, ideal for rugby.

Not long to go now. Kick off in a few minutes.

Ulster back row David McCann believes victory this evening would be 'massive' for the side heading into a crucial period of their season.

After a home defeat by Zebre last month, the province have fallen to ninth in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and have ground to make up over the final eight games of the season if they are to secure a place in the play-offs.

Benetton are two places below Richie Murphy's men in the table, although the sides are level on 23 points.

"I think we have the potential to go there and get a result that can turn around our season and give us that momentum going into the next few weeks," said McCann.

"It is massive for us. We've had a few weeks of training under our belt so it's implementing all the things we've been working on and we should get the result if we do that accurately."

Image source, Inpho

While thoughts are very much on the here and now in Italy this evening, Ulster have been making moves with next season in mind.

It has been confirmed that Willie Faloon and Mark Sexton will join the Ulster Rugby coaching staff for the 2025-26 campaign.

Both men previously worked with head coach Richie Murphy during his spell with the Ireland Under-20s.

Read more.

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Getty Images

A desire to follow in the footsteps of former Ulster team-mates like Rory Best and Andrew Trimble saw Jacob Stockdale decide against a switch to the Top 14.

The 28-year-old, who makes his competitive return from injury this afternoon, was the subject of interest from Racing 92 and Lyon but signed an extension with his home province that will keep him at Kingspan Stadium until 2027.

Stockdale admitted that he considered the possibility of a move to France but ultimately wants to be remembered as a "one-club guy".

"I'll be honest, it was definitely something I thought about," he said.

"Rugby is a short career and to a certain degree you have to be selfish at times. Racing and Lyon both expressed interest, and for me it was exploring those options to see what they would look like, but ultimately, I have a very young family, it was better to stay at Ulster.

"It was very much the idea of being a one-club guy, you look at Trimby (Andrew Trimble) or Rory Best, they have got hundreds of caps for the club and have made a huge impact, which is something you strive to do."

Read more of what Stockdale had to say here.

Ulster aren't the only Irish province taking the field in 15 minutes.

Munster host Scarlets and we'll bring you score updates from Thomond Park on this page as well.

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Centre James Hume said he "didn't feel out of place" as he made a try-scoring return to action for Ulster after nine months out with a knee injury.

Hume played 50 minutes of the province's 38-31 defeat to Queensland Reds in a mid-season friendly match at Kingspan Stadium last weekend.

He touched down in the corner to score early in the second half shortly before he was replaced, and the 26-year-old was pleased with his display as he came through unscathed in his first appearance of the season.

"I did water boy at the Leinster game [a 20-27 home loss in November] which was ages ago so I've been in and round the match day experience, so it was great this week to be involved, I loved it," he said.

Read more.

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Ulster head coach Richie Murphy has recalled a host of Ireland internationals while handing Jacob Boyd his debut for today's game.

With no Six Nations action this week, hooker Rob Herring and second row Cormac Izuchukwu have been released from Ireland camp while prop Tom O'Toole is available again after serving a six-match ban for his red card against Munster.

Herring and O'Toole will be joined in the front row by debutant Boyd.

The 20-year-old loose-head prop, who captained RBAI to victory in the 2023 Schools' Cup, starts after featuring off the bench in last week's friendly defeat by Queensland Reds.

Ireland under-20 international Boyd, the son of former Ulster prop Clem, is included with props Eric O'Sullivan and Andrew Warwick both out injured.

Murphy, however, is able to call upon fit-again backline trio Jacob Stockdale, James Hume and Stuart McCloskey.

Ireland internationals Stockdale and McCloskey have been sidelined since the end of 2024 while Hume makes his competitive return after 10 months out with a knee injury.

Murphy's side shows 11 changes from Ulster's last competitive outing - a home defeat by Zebre on 26 January - with Nick Timoney, David McCann, Mike Lowry and Stewart Moore the only players retained.

Another prop, Bryan O'Connor, is also poised to win his first Ulster cap after being named on the bench.

Benetton: Smith; Mendy, Fekitoa, Zanon, Gallagher; Albornoz, Uren; Gallo, Maile, Zilocchi; Marini, Snyman (capt); Izekor, Zuliani, Halafihi.

Replacements: Bernasconi, Spagnolo, Pasquali, Favretto, Kingi, Koroiadi, Casilio, Marin.

Ulster: Moore; Lowry, Hume, McCloskey, Stockdale; Morgan, Doak; Boyd, Herring, O'Toole; O'Connor (capt), Izuchukwu; Matty Rea, Timoney, McCann.

Replacements: Andrew, O'Connor, Wilson, Treadwell, Crothers, Shanahan, Flannery, Postlethwaite.

It may be a fallow week for the Six Nations but there is still plenty of United Rugby Championship action this weekend.

And it's a big one for Ulster too!

Richie Murphy's men need to get back on track after a first ever home loss to Zebre last time out.

While there was a friendly against the Queensland Reds last week, it's been a long wait for the squad to put right that defeat from three weeks ago.

It's Italian opposition again with the northern province in Treviso to take on Benetton.

Can they get back to winning ways? Stay with us to find out!

Image source, Inpho