Celtic League/ Ulster v Glasgow: No less than Munster, Ulster play their first home competitive game of the season without their Bilbao-based front-liners and against Celtic foes who have the confidence of a win under their belt. The difference being that after last week's trek to the Gnoll, Ulster are under pressure to win and avert back-to-back defeats.
Further shorn of Tyrone Howe, Paddy Wallace and Gary Longwell, Ulster at least welcome back James Topping and Tony McWhirter, familiar faces for the Ravenhill faithful to set beside the four players making their home competitive debuts in the tight five: props Ronnie McCormack and Rod Moore and Kiwi-born locks Matt Mustchin and Rowen Frost.
Alan Solomons is clearly hoping for a response to Ravenhill urgings as well as a reaction to the 41-30 defeat by the Neath/Swansea Ospreys. "Two elements of that performance were very poor. We ended up losing 50 per cent of our line-outs, and you just can't function properly when losing that amount of ball, and our defence just didn't function like it should. We've worked very, very hard this week on rectifying that."
Glasgow make just four changes to the side that beat Cardiff 23-13 last week under new coach Hugh Campbell, with Stuart Moffat and Roland Reid recalled at full back and number eight and scrumhalf Kenny Sinclair and tighthead Matt Proudfoot - a replacement against Ireland at Murrayfield - making their Celtic League debuts.
Two of Glasgow's try scorers against Cardiff last week, Gareth Maclure and Sam Pinder, have been ruled out by injury, while they include one of their five World Cup players, Graeme Beveridge, among the replacements.
Glasgow also have a score to settle from last season's quarter-finals but the result is liable to have more significance for a reshaped Ulster, albeit one with a potent and pacy looking back line. "We definitely wouldn't want to lose a second successive match," admits Solomons. "We're hell bent on being successful in this game."
ULSTER: B Cunningham; J Topping, R Constable, S Stewart, S Young; A Larkin, K Campbell; R McCormack, M Sexton, R Moore, M Mustchin, R Frost, A Ward (capt), T McWhirter, N McMillan. Replacements: P Shields, B Young, M McCullough, N Best, R Spee, S Mallon, T Bowe.
GLASGOW: S Moffat; J Steel, G Morrison, J Naufahu, R Kerr; C Howarth, K Sinclair; E Murray, S Gunn, M Proudfoot, A Hall, N Ross, C Mather (capt), R Reid, D Macfadyen. Replacements: S Lawson, L Harrison, R McKay, P Dearlove, G Beveridge, A Bulloch, S Lamont.
Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales).
Forecast: Ulster to win.
• Also tonight - Gwent Dragons v N-S Ospreys, Rodney Parade (7.05), referee Alain Rolland (Ireland); Edinburgh Rugby v The Borders, Meadowbank (7.30), referee Nigel Williams (Wales).
