Ulster seek to maintain their momentum going into Europe with a potentially far trickier trip than would have been the case last season. Having had what Scottish pundits have described as "the Connacht treatment", the Scottish Union - in stark contrast to the IRFU - have sought to emulate their Welsh counterparts by endeavouring to have all their sides competing in next season's Heineken European Cup.
In truth, with Gregor Townsend injured and inspirational Samoan skipper Semo Sititi having returned home owing to a family bereavement, the Borders are not notably strengthened in personnel today compared to last season, but then last term they weren't perhaps as far away as their last place indicated.
Ulster, having come through two close affairs, will be one of the first to testify to that. When the Borders blew a gilt-edged drop-goal opportunity to beat Munster in the seasonal opener at Thomond Park, it may have looked like similar misfortune was going to befall Steve Bates's well-organised team, but results have quickly come their way.
After a subsequent defeat to Llanelli, the Borders have beaten the Ospreys, Connacht (with 14 men) and Edinburgh and now seek a fourth win in a row for the first time in their four-season history. Bates makes five changes. Calum MacRae is at fullback for Stuart Moffat, while in the front row Bruce Douglas has recovered from a foot problem and returns for Tom McGee.
In the back row Kelly Brown moves to number eight for the absent Sititi, with Andy Rennick starting at blindside flanker and Andy Miller at openside instead of Wayne McEntee.
With Munster assured of four points Ulster would need a bonus-point victory and a 25-point winning margin to lead the Celtic League into the Euro break.
Mark McCall has again named an unchanged side, although Stephen Ferris and Andrew Maxwell have been promoted to the bench. Ulster also have a stronger, more mature team than last season, and with their main strike runners, Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble, in such good form, and David Humphreys in better kicking form than Charlie Hore, they should have more firepower than their hosts.
BORDER REIVERS: C MacRae; S Danielli, B MacDougall, G Law, N Walker; C Hore, C Cusiter; P Thomson (capt), R Ford, B Douglas, O Palepoi, C Stewart, A Rennick, A Miller, K Brown. Replacements: S Scott, G Cross, M Blair, J Dalziel, B McKerchar, S Gray, S Moffat.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, A Trimble, J Topping; D Humphreys, K Campbell; J Fitzpatrick, R Best, S Best (capt), J Harrison, M McCullough, N Best, N McMillan, R Wilson. Replacements: P Shields, B Young, R Frost, S Ferris, I Boss, P Wallace, A Maxwell.
Referee: Phil Fear (WRU).
Head-to-heads: (03-04) (CL) Ulster 46 Border Reivers 5; Border Reivers 15 Ulster 19. (04-05) (CL) Border Reivers 19 Ulster 20; Ulster 17 Border Reivers 13.
Formguide: Borders - 7-9 v Munster (a); 15-24 v Llanelli (h); 16-6 v Ospreys (h); 17-15 v Connacht (a); 23-11 v Edinburgh (h). Ulster - 25-22 v Cardiff (a); 30-23 v Edinburgh (h); 22-19 v Dragons (a); 23-30 v Leinster (h); 36-10 v Connacht (h).
Leading try scorers: Borders - Nikki Walker 2. Ulster - Neil Best 3, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble 2 each.
Leading scorers: Borders - Charlie Hore 48. Ulster - David Humphreys 57.
Forecast: Ulster to win.
Tomorrow - Llanelli Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors, Stradey Park (4.10). Idle - Munster.
