Ulster hope to get their European campaign off to a positive start, after two recent narrow defeats in the BKT United Rugby Championship against Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby.

With twelve players having made their debut for the province so far this season, this Champions Cup campaign will be a first in Ulster colours for many of the playing squad.

Last season, the team made it through the pool stage after a win against Sale Sharks, but were knocked out at the Round of 16 stage after a tough 30-15 loss at Aviva Stadium against Interprovincial rivals, Leinster, earlier this year.

With a new campaign on the horizon, Ulster aim to make a strong start to the pool stage, as Dan McFarland's men gear up for matches against Bath, Racing 92, Toulouse and Harlequins, who make up the Pool 2 group.

Are you ready for Europe?

Tickets are available for Ulster's next three home fixtures, including two European clashes with French Top 14 giants in Racing 92 and Toulouse, with a festive BKT URC home fixture against Connacht just three days before Christmas.

Fans can also purchase an Ulster Rugby Game Pass, where fans can cement their spot at Ulster's five confirmed home fixtures in 2024.

So how are our opponents shaping up ahead of the fixture?

Bath have made a strong start to their domestic campaign, with Head Coach, Johann van Graan, having plenty to be pleased with the team's efforts across their eight matches.

Bath sit in second place in the Gallagher Premiership, with 27 points after eight rounds.

Sale Sharks sit above them in first place, with one more win than Bath.

Van Graan's side head into the weekend's fixture feeling confident, after an impressive 41-24 home win over their West Country rivals, Exeter Chiefs.

The Blue, Black and White secured their bonus point victory with six tries courtesy of Alfie Barbeary (two), Cameron Redpath, Ben Spencer, Joe Cokanasiga, and Will Butt.

Scottish fly-half, Finn Russell, scored four conversions from the tee throughout the night, as well as adding a penalty.

As our opponents gear up for their European campaign they will hope to further than last year, where they didn't make it out beyond the pool stage of the competition.

Match Details

🏟️ The Rec Stadium

📅 Sat 9th December

🕰️ 3.15pm

🏆 Investec Champions Cup

📺 TNT Sports

Last Time Out

Ulster's last trip to the West Country turned out to a memorable one. Ulster travelled to Bath in November 2019 in the first round of the then Heineken Champions Cup pool stage. The match could have been seen as the Burns derby, as brothers Billy and Freddie went up against each other.

The Ulstermen took home a stunning 16-17 win, with Jacob Stockdale making a try-saving interception with the clock in the red.

Ulster made a stunning start, with John Cooney charging a kick down and sprinting the length of the Bath half to finish. Ulster's second try was also a beauty, with Will Addison kicking the ball down the line and winger Rob Lyttle collecting to score.

A John Cooney penalty would prove the difference in the score, but the moment that will stick out in the memory is a Bath entry in the Ulster 22 and when a try looked all but certain, Jacob Stockdale sprinted back to intercept a pass. The intervention ended the match and sealed the win for Ulster.

Players to watch

The star of the pack is the exciting Scottish international fly-half, Finn Russell, who is one of the most creative half backs in world rugby. For years Russell has impressed for Glasgow Warriors and more recently French Top 14 side Racing 92.

A steady presence from the tee to complement his swashbuckling creativity, Russell moved fourth on Scotland’s all-time points list during Scotland’s 2023 Guinness Six Nations win over Wales at BT Murrayfield.

Russell made the switch to Bath in the summer, and he has already marked his impact, kicking home 11 points for his new side against Exeter Chiefs, which brought him over the 50 point mark for Bath already.

Sam Underhill is a back-rower who is not going under the radar.

The England international flanker has been in brilliant form for Bath and starred for the team in their recent big win over Exeter Chiefs, where he was awarded with the performance of the match.

With his powerful presence and ability to dominate the breakdown, Underhill has firmly established himself as one of the premier flankers in the game. It was seen as a big shock that Underhill didn't make England's final 2023 Rugby World Cup squad after playing key roles in the 2019 World Cup and 2020 Six Nations campaign.

Thomas Du Toit is a big presence in the Bath front row, the South African packs down at a hefty 132kg and joined Bath from Cell C Sharks in the summer.

Du Toit is a Springbok international, whose nickname is 'the tank'. The South African previously played for Munster on a short-term basis and also played for Toulouse in 2019. The big prop can play on both sides of the scrum but primarily plays at tighthead.

He has started life in Bath quickly, with six turnovers made in his defensive work and also scoring four tries. 'The Tank' is a hard man to defend when near the opposition's 5m line, with his brute force enabling him to shove over the tryline.