A massive game for Ulster given if they can beat London Wasps for the second time this season they will finish their Pool 2 campaign with an attractive home fixture next Friday evening at Ravenhill Road against Benetton Treviso. If it ends like that few would bet against Ulster for the win and a place in the quarter-finals.
No need to remind coach Alan Solomons how Ulster fared at home in October in the first encounter as David Humphreys kicked himself into the record books with 37 points in the 42-19 rout.
Ulster start with the same team that faced Munster in the Celtic League semi-final with the exception of Paddy Johns, who comes into the second row for Mark Blair. Johns' streetwise experience will be an important factor against a strong Wasps second row.
Irish winger James Topping is out of the squad with a groin injury while centre Shane Stewart also remains sidelined as Jonathan Bell and Adam Larkin form the midfield partnership.
Wasps field a strong side but continue to miss big-name players who could turn the match for them. England's Joe Worsley and Scottish winger and place-kicker Kenny Logan are resting injuries while Lawrence Dallaglio's injured knee will keep him out of the team until February. English front-row Phil Greening is also sidelined with a thumb injury and won't be playing for two weeks.
But Wasps still have quality in the pack, Ian Jones and Simon Shaw in the second row adding experience and power, but Solomons has been satisfied with how Ulster have come on since he took charge six months ago.
"This will be a tough contest," says Solomons. "There is absolutely no doubt about that. Wasps had a good win in Leeds last weekend but I believe that if we can get the quality right, the rest will fall into place.
"The friendly match over the holidays that we played against Munster was very important to us because we were unable to practice on a field until recently because of the weather. We started out looking to make the play-offs in the Celtic League and to be competitive in Europe. Now we've won three out of four games in Europe so this match is very important for us."
An interesting duel should unfold at outhalf where Wasps' Alex King is just as important to the London side as Humphreys is to Ulster. Ulster know their record is poor at Loftus Road and in the 1997-98 season suffered one of their worst defeats losing 3-56 and conceding eight tries. Ulster were in a slump then. Not anymore.
ULSTER: P Wallace; S Coulter, A Larkin, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, P Shields, S Best, P Johns, G Lomgwell, T McWhirter, R Nelson, A Ward (capt.). Replacements: M Crick, C Boyd, J Davidson, N McMillen, K Campbell, R Constable, B Cunningham.
WASPS: M Leek; S Roiser, F Waters, M Denney, M Roberts; A King, M Wood; C Dowd, T Leota, W Green, S Shaw, I Jones, J Beardshaw, P Volley, M Lock. Replacements: E Burrill, L Scrase, A McKenzie, J Barrett, S Green, C Allan.
Referee: N Whitehouse (Wales).
Previous meetings: 1997-98 lost 3-56 (a), lost 21-38 (h); 1990-00 lost 6-19 (h), lost 17-49 (a); 2001-02 won 42-19 (h)
Formguide 2001-2002: Wasps L L W L; Ulster W W L W
Leading points scorers: Wasps K Logan 21; Ulster D Humphreys 69
Try scorers: Wasps Logan , Lewsey, Green, Roberts, Worsley, Roiser one each; Ulster T Howe 2
Odds: 10/11 Wasps, 10/11 Ulster, draw 14/1
Forecast: Ulster
