Hello everyone, how’s things? What a day of European rugby it has been so far. First off, here are the teams for tonight’s game at Welford Road.

For Leicester: 15 Mathew Tait, 14 Blaine Scully, 13 Manusamoa Tuilagi, 12 Owen Williams, 11 Vereniki Goneva, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Ben Youngs (c), 8 Jordan Crane, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Fraser Balmain, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Marcos Ayerza
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Robert Barbieri, 21 David Mélé, 22 Sam Harrison, 23 Miles Benjamin

For Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Paul Marshall, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Robbie Diack, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Lewis Stevenson, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Rory Best (c), 1 Andy Warwick
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Callum Black, 18 Declan Fitzpatrick, 19 Clive Ross, 20 Roger Wilson, 21 Michael Heaney, 22 Stuart Olding, 23 Darren Cave.

There were some great moments already in the new tournament – Ian Keatley nailed a dramatic late drop goal for Munster to beat Sale and Clermont lost a 30-23 cracker to Saracens.

Also, Glasgow did the Pro12 proud by murdering Bath. All in all, a good first weekend of Champions Cup rugby so far.

Unfortunately, this game is on BT so we will be forced to watch plenty of forced rugby club style ‘banter’. Austin Healey is the main culprit but he drags Ben Kay down to his level regularly.

So how do people see Leicester vs Ulster going tonight? Welford Road is a tough place to visit but it looks like the perfect time for Ulster to travel there given the current form of the home side.

Stuart McCloskey gets the nod ahead of Stuart Olding at 12 for Ulster after some strong recent performances. Has a ‘McCloskey for Ireland’ bandwagon started yet?

Does anyone else watch this video and feel a burning hatred for all things Leicester?

Here are a few stats for you to mull over just before kick-off.

For the punters out there, Leicester are 4/6 to win, Ulster are 13/10 and the draw is 18/1.

The teams are out and we are seconds away from kick-off!

Ugh….Romain Poite is the ref. Bad news for players, fans and coaches alike.

We are off at Welford road!

Tait and Gilroy have been exchanging kicks so far but nothing major from either side in the opening moments.

Romain Poite penalises Jordan Crane for going off his feet and Paddy Jackson has a kick at goal from right in front and about 35m out.

Oooof…..Jackson pushes it wide. Bad miss from the out-half.

Marshall gathers a wayward clearance and makes good ground. Ulster in possession just outside the Leicester 22.

Rory Best runs a decoy line and Tommy Bowe cuts a nice line behind him as Ulster get to within 15m of the line.

The Leicester defence is holding Ulster steady at the moment. 22 phases for Ulster….

Marcos Ayerza is adjudged to have come in from the side and Jackson will get another kick at goal.

Leicester 0-3 Ulster

Jackson makes no mistake this time and Ulster lead. That was a very good spell from the visitors, retaining possession well in the Leicester 22.

Blaine Scully takes the kick-off and sets off on a marauding run into the Ulster 22. It looks like there might be a sniff of a chance but Owen Williams throws a wild pass and Ulster can clear.

Bad news for Ulster as Jared Payne leaves the field with a suspected concussion.

Darren Cave has come on for Payne. Meanwhile, Leicester are penalised again at the breakdown and Ulster kick to touch in the opposition half.

But then Gilroy gives away a penalty for going off his feet and Leicester have a lineout just outside the Ulster 22.

Another sloppy Leicester pass puts them back ten yards but they still have possession.

Julian Salvi has a great rumble before Matthew Tait recycles the ball to Manu Tuilagi. Tuilagi tries to take Bowe on but the wing makes a strong tackle. McCloskey gets penalised at the next ruck and Leicester go to the corner for a 5m lineout.

We get our first close up of second row and all-round legend Brad Thorn. What a hero!

Jared Payne has returned for Darren Cave but now Tuilagi is going off to get some treatment and is replaced by Miles Benjamin.

Leicester go over the line but it looks like Ulster held it up. Romain Poite is going to check whether Rory Best was able to save the day.

Leicester 7-3 Ulster

Romain Poite says that although the replay doesn’t show the try, he thinks he saw it in real-time. Owen Williams is awarded the score, although the footage was far from conclusive.

Former Leinster second row Trevor Hogan wants to give the BT commentator a geography lesson.

Bowe could be in a bit of trouble here after tackling Miles Benjamin in the air.

Poite decides to go with just a penalty after Benjamin lands relatively safely.

One of Ulster’s celebrity fans has been showing his support.

Leicester work a set piece move off of their lineout but Salvi pass to Youngs is dropped by the scrum-half. Scrum Ulster just outside their 22.

Penalty Leicester. Poite says Wiehahn Herbst drops his bind and Freddie Burns will have a shot at goal about 30m out to the left of the posts.

That was not a good attempt by Burns. Wide right. Really, wide.

Leicester are bossing the game at the moment and winning the collisions but their passing is still sloppy though and once again Owen Williams is guilty of throwing a bit of a stinker. Ulster have a scrum on their own ten metre line now.

Manu Tuilagi has had a hard time staying on the field lately.

Herbst gets his revenge on Ayerza and wins a penalty at the scrum. Jackson brings Ulster up to the Leicester 22.

But Best’s throw is picked off by Crane and Burns clears into the Ulster half.

‘You don’t need to talk, you just need to play’ – Poite gives Ayerza a firm warning.

A huge garryowen by Burns bounces dangerously in the Ulster 22 but rolls into touch before Blaine Scully can snaffle it up.

Leicester 12-3 Ulster

Ben Youngs intercepts Paul Marshall’s pass and feeds Graham Kitchener for an easy run in. Freddie Burns misses the conversion.

This time it is Gilroy who tackles a man in the air and he gets a yellow card.

Here is that last try, probably a bit unwise of Marshall to try and play out of defence.

Leicester 19-3 Ulster

Another try for Leicester. They recycle the ball in the 22 and after attacking the side of the pitch where Gilroy would have been, Freddie Burns steps inside Andy Warwick for the home side’s third try.

It has been a disastrous five minutes for Ulster and still have another six minutes to play with a man in the bin. They have a lineout on the Leicester 22 to try and launch a comeback.

Goneva puts in a huge hit on Ludik and steals the ball. Ulster need a score fast because Leicester are already hunting for that bonus point try.

The England scrum-half is having a very busy night.

Romain Poite is going to the TMO and it looks like Leonardo Ghiraldini might have burrowed over for that all-important fourth try.

The try has been ruled out because Ben Youngs stepped on the touchline in the build-up. Huge let off for Ulster.

Leicester picking and driving at the Ulster line after Kitchener steals the ball at the lineout.

Payne and Ludik combine to excellently win the ball and Ulster escape unscathed this time. Munster came back from 16 down earlier, can Ulster do the same?

Here is Leicester’s third try, scored by Freddie Burns.

Jackson chips the ball into the Leicester corner and Ulster might have one chance before the half to strike back.

Half-time: Leicester 19-3 Ulster

That’s it for the first half and Leicester have rediscovered their mojo in an impressive first half display where Ben Youngs has put them on the front foot constantly. After an impressive opening few minutes, Ulster have been forced to defend constantly and they haven’t been helped by Bowe and Gilroy giving away cheap penalties.

Is there any way back for Ulster in the second half?

Some half-time thoughts from the online community:

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‘First of all – wow. I didn’t expect that at all.’ – Stephen Ferris on the first half.

Youngs intercept of Marshall is being focused on. Was a poor moment for the scrum-half. Ferris thinks Ruan Pienaar would have kicked from that position.

‘I don’t know why there are nerves. They put together 22 phases and got the first score. That should have settled them.’ – Ferris has been good on his BT debut.

The wayward kicking of the Leicester ten is probably the only reason the game isn’t over already.

The IRFU are showing their support for Ulster tonight as well.

For the despondent Ulster fans out there, remember that Munster were 16 points down at half-time to Sale earlier and this is how it ended.

Gilroy is back on and we are back underway!

Graham Kitchener blocks the ball but then knocks it on and Ulster have a scrum on their own 22.

Leicester have a penalty after Diack plays the ball in an offside position. Owen Williams will take the kick from straight in front.

Leicester 22-3 Ulster

Williams slots the easy penalty and already, it looks like it will just be a question of whether Leicester will finish with four or five points.

Finally Ulster show some life. Louis Ludik makes a nice break into the Leicester half before feeding McCloskey, who takes on Youngs before offloading to Bowe. The wing tries to repeat the feat, but his pass is intercepted and Leicester clear.

Leicester 22-6 Ulster

Paddy Jackson kicks Ulster a little closer but they need to catch up with five pointers rather than threes. Still, it’s a start.

Goneva blasts through the Ulster defence and is hauled down just outside the Ulster 22. Burns puts the ball into the corner but Ulster are able to clear up to their own ten metre line.

Crane is penalised for using his hands in the ruck and Jackson is able to give Ulster some territory near the Leicester 22.

Tait soars high to excellently claim a kick and leads a break out but nothing comes from it. A bit of kick tennis going on at the moment.

Stuart Olding and Roger Wilson are on for Stewart McCloskey and Nick Williams.

Leicester 22-13 Ulster

What a try! Stuart Olding gets his hands on the ball immediately and throws a great ball outside that eventually reaches Bowe. The wing feeds Payne inside and the centre returns the pass for Bowe to finish off. Game on now!

Even Brian Moore can appreciate that beautiful Ulster score.

Youngs gets Leicester going once again as he beats a couple of defenders but Owen Williams goes for a drop goal and drags it wide. Another Ulster try now will put them in the box seat. Olding has looked dangerous every time he has touched the ball so far.

Leicester aren’t letting Ulster back into it easily though. Marcos Ayerza just bulldozed through a ruck and won a scrum for his side.

And then Ayerza wins a penalty at the scrum. Owen Williams will have a shot at goal.

Leicester 25-13 Ulster

Williams nails the kick.

Payne knifes through the Leicester defence after the kick-off and brings play into their 22. Ulster threatening the Leicester line now.

Gilroy gets on the ball twice in the 22 and makes good ground but he gets caught in possession and a good Ulster spell goes unrewarded.

That aforementioned Payne break was a great example of a strong counter attacking run.

Leicester 25-18 Ulster

An absolutely scintillating break by Craig Gilroy in the Leicester 22 leads to Cave getting tackled just short. On the next phase Franco van der Merwe dives over the defensive ruck to score. Jackson’s conversion is blocked by Jamie Gibson though.

An Owen Williams kick goes straight out but once again the Ulster lineout malfunctions and Leicester regain possession.

Tommy Bowe gives away a penalty for not rolling away and Leicester go for the corner rather than take the points.

People aren’t happy with Jackson allowing his conversion to be blocked.

Robbie Diack steals the ball at the back of the lineout and Ulster clear their lines.

Olding is at 12, Cave is at 13 and Payne is at 15. Is this Ulster’s best backline? They have certainly produced some great first phase attacks in the last few minutes.

Freddie Burns lets Paddy Jackson’s long kick bounce in the 22 and just about gets away with it. Ulster have a lineout on their own ten metre line with five to go. Can Ulster get the tying score?

Gilroy almost gets free down the left wing but is tackled by Scully. Cave nudges the ball down just outside the Leicester 22. Ulster need a steal.

Ulster try to spread the ball across the backline but Goneva gets a hand in. Ulster have a scrum outside the Leicester 22 with two and a half left.

That could be the last chance for Ulster after they knock it on out wide. Leicester just have to see out this scrum and that should be that.

Ulster win a penalty at the scrum! No time for a lineout so they go quick.

FT: Leicester 25-18 Ulster

Salvi pilfers the ball at the breakdown and it is all over. Despite losing, Ulster will be reasonably happy considering that it looked like they would be come away with nothing at half-time. They had some breathtaking moments of backline class in the second half and deserved their bonus point. What’s more is that they denied Leicester a try bonus point despite coughing up three tries in the first half.

Plenty to build on for Neil Doak ahead of next weekend’s crunch home clash with Toulon.

That’s all from our liveblog coverage tonight, hope you enjoyed the first Saturday of Champions Cup rugby!