Solid start from Ulster. Good continuity.

The hosts have an attacking scrum on the 22.

The scrum is under pressure and Juarno Augustus struggles to get over the gain-line.

It's scrappy and a knock-on means Bulls have the scrum and a chance to relieve pressure.

Ulster have a line out inside the Bulls' half.

Herring hits his target and Ulster send it wide before working their way back to the left flank.

Good ambition from Ulster but Bulls intercept and clear their lines.

Another line out to the hosts.

Juarno Augustus carries again from the base and Nathan Doak kicks long to get the ball out of the red zone.

Bulls attacking in midfield before hoisting an up and under which the hosts deal with and win a penalty to exit.

Good work from Ulster in maul defence.

Scrum to the hosts on their own 5 metre line.

They will need to clear their lines with a clean, quick exit.

Ulster pinged for a penalty in the ruck.

Sealing off.

Bulls kick to the corner. A statement of intent.

Can the visitors convert early territory into points?

Ulster have the first line out of the game.

It's scrappy from the hosts but the Bulls knock it on.

Scrum Ulster just inside the opposition 10 metre line.

Juarno Augustus with a rampaging carry from the base!

Referee Mike Adamson blows the whistle and we're off here in Belfast.

Here we go!

Warm-ups complete and the Affidea Stadium is buzzing. It’s crisp and dry in Belfast, great for rugby. Kick-off moments away.

Ulster prop Tom O'Toole said he is excited to face a "nearly fully strong Bulls side" in this evening’s United Rugby Championship game in Belfast (19:45 BST).

The Bulls have recalled 13 Springboks to their squad after starting the season with wins over Ospreys and Leinster in Pretoria.

"It'll be exciting to come up against the challenge of a nearly fully strong Bulls side," O'Toole told BBC Sport NI.

"The Bulls have performed really well over the last couple of weeks and hopefully we will be able to put on one of our strongest teams with the guys we have available.

"They were in the [URC] final last year for a reason, and they have really physical set of forwards, are set-piece orientated and their backs are dynamic, really quick and really dangerous over transition."

Read full article here.

Ulster wing Zac Ward says he has not been “not really thinking about” a potential Ireland call-up as he focuses on the Bulls’ visit to the Affidea Stadium tonight (19:45 BST). “I’m just worried about this game this weekend,” he told BBC Sport NI.

The former Ireland Sevens star started his first full 15s season with a try in the URC win over Dragons. A summer training panellist under Paul O’Connell, Ward insists his priority is cementing a starting place at Ulster before Andy Farrell names his autumn squad next week.

Ward, 26, joined Ulster on trial after last year’s autumn window and endured a “baptism of fire” on debut against Bordeaux in the Champions Cup. He has since scored four tries in 10 appearances and says his confidence has “grown massively” thanks to the coaches’ belief and team support.

“South African teams are always going to be massively physical,” Ward said. “We can’t give them too much loose ball… but we’re confident if we stick to our gameplan, we can put on a good show for the crowd.”

Read the article here.

Ulster have “parked” the frustration of last weekend’s late postponement in Edinburgh and are relishing a full-strength Bulls visit, said forwards coach Jimmy Duffy during the week.

“It certainly wasn’t easy, to be honest,” Duffy said of the cancellation. “We’re trying to build momentum. We had a good pre-season, had a good game against the Dragons and it would have been nice to back it up with another game.” He added that once the disappointment was “parked,” the squad reset for “another massive challenge.”

Duffy said he expects a bruising test: “Irrespective of what team they put out, they’re going to be a handful. Physically you have to be there, but mentally you’ve got to be right up for the challenge.”

Read the article here.

Handre Pollard will make his first Bulls appearance in six years in tonight’s game. The 85-cap fly-half, who returned to Pretoria after spells with Montpellier and Leicester Tigers, headlines a Bulls side featuring eight South Africa internationals.

Prop Wilco Louw and centre Canan Moodie also come straight back in after helping the Springboks retain The Rugby Championship. New head coach Johan Ackermann makes seven changes from last week’s win over Leinster, recalling Cobus Wiese, Marco Staden, Jeandre Rudolph and Zak Burger.

South Africa centurion Willie le Roux is named on the bench, while hooker Johann Grobbelaar captains in the concussion-enforced absence of former Ulster flanker Marcell Coetzee.

Speaking on Pollard’s return, Ackermann said: "Even though it's a big challenge to only have two trainings with a team, I'm sure he will adapt well and the players will feed off his calmness and experience."

Ackermann also warned his players to manage the Kingspan atmosphere: “They sing, they’re noisy, they make you feel it when you make a mistake,” adding, “What we control is our attitude, our mindset, our positivity.”

Read the full article here.

Fit-again Robert Baloucoune makes his first appearance of the season as Ulster host the Bulls. Summer signing Juarno Augustus earns his first start.

Jacob Stockdale is fit at full-back, Zac Ward stays on the left wing, and Michael Lowry misses out with an abdominal strain. Jack Murphy partners Nathan Doak, with Stuart McCloskey and James Hume in midfield.

Up front, former Saracens prop Sam Crean makes his first Ulster start alongside Rob Herring and Tom O’Toole. Eric O’Sullivan returns on the bench after a knee issue, while Callum Reid is out with concussion; Iain Henderson and Cormac Izuchukwu start at lock with David McCann and Nick Timoney in the back row.

The Bulls arrive after wins over Ospreys and champions Leinster and recall several Springboks, but ex-Ulster forward Marcell Coetzee is sidelined with concussion.

Read the full article here.

Ulster: Stockdale; Baloucoune, Hume, McCloskey, Ward; Murphy, Doak; Crean, Herring, O'Toole; Henderson (capt), Izuchukwu; McCann, Timoney, Augustus

Replacements: Stewart, O'Sullivan, Wilson, Sheridan, Reffell, McKee, Flannery, Postlethwaite.

Bulls: Devon Williams; Sebastian de Klerk, Canan Moodie, Harold Vorster, Stravino Jacobs; Handre Pollard, Zak Burger; Gerhard Steenekamp, Johann Grobbelaar (capt), Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, Nicolas Janse v Rensburg, Marco van Staden, Mpilo Gumede, Jeandre Rudolph.

Replacements: Juann Else, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Mornay Smith, Reinhardt Ludwig, Nama Xaba, Paul de Wet, David Kriel, Willie le Roux.

Good evening from Belfast, where Ulster host the Bulls in URC Round 3 at the Affidea Stadium.

Ulster have only one outing so far, a Round 1 win over the Dragons, after last week’s trip to Edinburgh was postponed by Storm Amy.

The visitors arrive with two wins from two, both in Pretoria.

This is a proper road test for the Bulls, swapping the Highveld for a brisk Belfast night, dealing with the travel, and an unfamiliar surface at the Affidea.

Plenty to watch early: Ulster’s tempo after a layoff, and how quickly the Bulls adapt away from home. Stick with us for live updates throughout the evening.

Image source, Inpho