Good afternoon and welcome to a sun-drenched Belfast.

We’ve been fed and watered here in Kingspan Stadium and just as I thought it was time to roll out onto the stand, Glasgow have sprung a change to their starting line-up.

Peter Murchie is a late withdrawal from the side, he is replaced at fullback by Sean Maitland – making his first start of the season – and the reshuffle sees Tommy Seymour switch to the right wing and Sean Lamont brought on to the wing.

Lamont’s number 23 jersey goes to DTH van der Merwe.

So here’s the revised teams in full for you. Nigel Owens is our referee for the evening.

Ulster: Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Jared Payne, Stuart McCloskey, Tommy Bowe; Ian Humphreys, Paul Marshall: Andrew Warwick, Rory Best (Capt), Wiehahn Herbst; Alan O’Connor, Franco van der Merwe; Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Black, Bronson Ross, Lewis Stevenson, Roger Wilson, Michael Heaney, Stuart Olding, Craig Gilroy

Glasgow Warriors: Sean Maitland; Tommy Seymour, Mark Bennett, Peter Horne, Sean Lamont; Finn Russell, Henry Pyrgos: Gordon Reid, Fraser Brown, Euan Murray; Tim Swinson, Leone Nakarawa; Rob Harley, Chris Fusaro, Josh Strauss (Capt.)

Replacements: Dougie Hall, Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Zander Fagerson, Jonny Gray, Adam Ashe, Niko Matawalu, James Downey, DTH van der Merwe.

As Brian O’Connor rightly pointed out in the comment section, Leinster have eventually put distance between themselves and Zebre over in Italy.

Second half tries from Ian Madigan and Luke McGrath has the champions 3 – 20 ahead in the final minutes of that one.

Right, we’re 15 minutes from kick-off, but this sun doesn’t look like it will keep me heated all night, I’m off to layer-up and nestle in for what’s sure to be a rip-roaring 80 minutes.

It’s full time and though Leinster didn’t sound to be in particularly impressive form against Zebre, they’ve come away with the 20 -3 victory.

This was the table before start of play, so Ulster start tonight two points ahead of Leinster and five points behind their opponents at the top of the table.

Rory Best has just led his side into the tunnel after the warm-up to the tune of James’ Sit down as the crowd rose to applaud the team.

Long shadows of mascots and flag-bearers beginning to stretch out on the grass as the we await the return of the sides.

A few empty seats to be seen behind each goals, but perhaps that’s to be expected when Northern Ireland are playing across town in Windsor Park a little later on.

SUFTUM rings around the ground as Rory Best leads the hosts back onto the field. Finn Russell will get us under way here.

KICK-OFF: 

Alan O’Connor rises, but cannot make the ball and Glasgow win back the first ball of the game.

Ooh, a shaky start for Ulster compounded by after the turnover as Humphreys’ kick is charged down by Nakarawa. Ludik is on hand to touch down behind is own goal line and Ulster will go again.

After making no ground from phases in their own half, Hump decised to test Maitland with a high ball. There’s no chase though and despite the sharp sunlight, he claims the ball well.

Ooomph! Big break from big Josh Strauss gets Glasgow into a dangerous position. I think it was Andrew Warwick who fell off the tackle. Not to worry though, Ulster have slowed the ball down and forced another turnover via the scrum.

Ulster very much on the back foot in the early stages here and a half break from Russell was just about thwarted by the big long arms of Nick Williams, but we go back for a penalty as Ulster were holding on.

PENALTY: Ulster 0 Glasgow 3 (Russell, 7 mins)

That’s awoke the crowd, a big powerful white maul took the hosts a full 10 metres forward, 15 inside the Warriors half before Owens signalled a penalty advantage.

Hump will take aim…

PENALTY: Ulster 3 Glasgow 3 (Humphreys, 10 mins)

Bright idea from Ulster off the back of a midfield scrum as they went on the blindside, but Williams maybe just not quick enough to give Bowe the support he needed and the Lion ended up grubbering on to Maitland.

The hosts’ pack starting to deliver a bit of territory now though.

Yep, the pack is in the game now. Herbst gets the credit as Glasgow’s scrum wilts 10 metres inside their half and Owens awards the penalty.

PENALTY: Ulster 6 Glasgow 3 (Humphreys, 14 mins)

A superb kick from the left side, on the number 10′s left boot. He had the crowd cheering long before the flags went up.

The Ulster crowd are incensed, Ludik is taken out in the act of catching the ball and the natives want vengeance for Jared.

Owens has not bowed though, the Welsh ref awards a penalty to Glasgow for an earlier breakdown infringement and Ulster are tied up again.

PENALTY: Ulster 6 Glasgow 6 (Russell, 19)

A blow for the Ulster front row, it looks like Herbst’s day is done. Bronson Ross will come in at tighthead.

Seamless! The home pack force another penalty and Humphreys has another chance for over 40 metres.

PENALTY: Ulster 9 Glasgow 6 (Humphreys, 24)

3 for 3.

Whoa, whoa whoa…. Ross for Herbst was just a blood sub – hard to see whether there’s leakage or not from up here in the Grandstand.

The crowd are on their feet as Ulster move to run from their own 22 and Trimble finds the gap. The international races all the way to half way and slows down to let Tommy Bowe get in place to take a reverse pass inside, but the Monaghan man is felled and Glasgow’s D recovers fast.

Paul Marshall ensures the tempo of the game doesn’t drop as a Warriors player slows the ball down. Marshall quick taps the penalty and offloads to the supporting Ludik.

Frustratingly for the home side though, Warriors are doing an excellent job of slowing the ball down without being pinged and they force a scrum just inside their own half.

Warriors dominating the breakdown, but Ulster most certainly hold the upper hand in the scrum.

Another kickable penalty for Humphreys, Neil Doak will be pleased with the lead, but will want the chance to use that scrum a little closer to the try-line.

PENALTY: Ulster 12 Glasgow 6 (Humphreys, 35 mins)

SIN BIN: Leone Nakarawa is given a 10-minute break for loping offside and denying Ulster a chance to continue a counter-attack after another big break from Trimble and Ludik.

Well, arguably Humphreys’ easiest kick of the night and he has missed it.

He’ll get another go. Pyrgos attempted to snipe through to the halfway line, but was caught and the advantage came against Glasgow.

Marshall also sniped and cleverly reversed the play, but the move was intercepted and we go back for the kick.

PENALTY: Ulster 15 Glasgow 6 (Humpreys, 39 )

HALF-TIME: Ulster 15 Glasgow 6

A few things to catch up on. Andrew Trimble limped off before the end of the half with Craig Gilroy sent on as a replacement. Here’s hoping he’s okay for next week and indeed the November internationals.

Also, Ulster ended the half with another attempted counter attack after winning a turnover in their own half. Payne took the ball into contact 10 metres inside the Warriors half and, even with 14 men, the scrambling defence did an excellent job of putting out the fire.

The second half is off and running here in Kingspan Stadium and Ulster have picked up where they left off, in attack.

Warriors did an excellent job while down to 14 men and they are welcoming Nakarawa back to the field as Russell lines up his third kick at the posts.

PENALTY: Ulster 15 Glasgow 9 (Russell 44)

BOOM! A huge tackle and drive from Nick Williams sucks the life out of a Glasgow attack, Tommy Seymour meeting the big man after making his break on the right wing.

That’s the end of Seymour’s day. DTH van der Merwe is on in his place.

Humphreys is clearly as sick of kicking 40 metre penalties as we are of watching him ;)

The 10 boots a penalty across field into space with Tommy Bowe haring after it, but the Lions wing knocks on as he bends to lift the ball from the turf.

SUFTUM growing louder as we pack down for this scrum. A spell of possession in the Warriors 22 would be very, very welcome for Ulster at this stage.

Here’s their chance. Glasgow cleared their lines well, but conceded a penalty in their over-eagerness to force a turnover after a big Strauss hit. Humphreys kicks for a line-out on the 22.

Glasgow still dominate the fringes, but as Ulster go wide Humphreys shows how to get around a blitzing defence; switching his hands around to send a long looping pass to Gilroy.

Again, he’s forced inside and the move ends with Hump seeking out Bowe with another cross-field kick which only brings another knock-on.

There’s the first break of the night for the in-form Stuey McCloskey. A superb step in midfield and he raced 20 metres before having to turn and offload to Hump.

Amazing, we’re with the TMO here after Jared Payne got the crowd all exciting as he touched the ball down after chasing it to the corner.

Unfortunately, it was an agonising centimeter too far in to the corner and the slow-motion replays showed the ball roll over the line a second before Payne reached it.

We’ve gone back for treatment to a Glasgow player.

Can’t quite see who it is behind the crouching wall of medics, but sadly it looks like the stretcher won’t go off empty.

Must say, I missed what happened the guy too. Hopefully it’s not quite as serious as it looks.

That was Mark Bennett who was stretchered off. Obvious concern for the centre as the crowd applaud his route back in front of the stand.

Fingers crossed.

We’re back up and running and Ulster are finally in the Warriors 22.

Not very far into it though and the hosts are frustrated enough to put Humphreys into a drop goal position and he dragged it to the right and wide.

Disappointing fare in the second half, it has to be said.

TRY! Ulster 20 Glasgow 9 (Gilroy 65)

A superb individual effort from the replacement winger, crashing in on a reverse angle to collect Marshall’s pass before racing the long way around the covering defender.

Humphreys adds the extras and Ulster look like closing the gap to a single point tonight.

TRY! Ulster 29 Glasgow 9 (Bowe 68)

And there’s another one. T-Bowe steals a loose ball in midfield and doesn’t need a second invitation to gobble up the 40 metres to the try-line with nobody at home.

76 minutes: You have to feel for Glasgow here, they were right in the game and frustrating Ulster for over an hour. But they have understandably struggled to bounce back after that long delay before Bennett was stretched off.

FULL-TIME: Ulster 29 Glasgow Warriors 9

That’s it from me, folks. We know Ireland put up a rugby score against Gibraltar we hope you enjoyed this absorbing contest instead.

We’re off to see what Doaky made of it all.

G’night.