Hello and welcome to this afternoon’s liveblog.

Ulster host the Top 14 strugglers in Belfast and they require a bonus-point victory to keep their Champions Cup quarter-final hopes alive.

They’ll have to do it without Ruan Pienaar (illness), Stuart McCloskey (rested) and Wiehahn Herbst (foot) though.

Ulster started without some key players in France when these sides met earlier this month and they found themselves trailing 23-0 at the break.

On that occasion, however, they had the luxury of bringing on Paddy Jackson, Pienaar and Nick Williams off the bench after the first 40 minutes. And they inspired an incredible 24-23 comeback victory.

Hopefully we get an equally entertaining contest today.

A reminder of the Ulster team for this 1pm start.

Ulster (v Oyonnax)

15. Jared Payne
14. Andrew Trimble
13. Darren Cave
12. Luke Marshall
11. Craig Gilroy
10. Paddy Jackson
9. Paul Marshall

1. Kyle McCall
2. Rob Herring (Capt.)
3. Ricky Lutton
4. Alan O’Connor
5. Franco van der Merwe
6. Robbie Diack
7. Sean Reidy
8. Nick Williams

Replacements:

16. Rory Best
17. Callum Black
18. Bronson Ross
19. Clive Ross
20. Roger Wilson
21. Dave Shanahan
22. Ian Humphreys
23. Rory Scholes

Oyonnax

15. Florian Denos (Capt.)

14. Daniel Ikpefan

13. Guillaume Bousses

12. Alaska Taufa

11. Dug Codjo

10. Rory Clegg

9. Julien Blanc

1. Soane Tonga’uiha

2. Thomas Bordes

3. Giorgi Vepkhvadze

4. Leon Power

5. Geoffrey Fabbri

6. Valentin Ursache

7. Pierrick Gunther

8. Pedrie Wannenburg

Replacements:

16. Jeremie Maurouar

17. Laurent Delboulbès

18. Horace Pungea

19. Fabrice Metz

20. Maurie Fa’asavalu

21. Fabien Cibray

22. Regis Lespinas

23. Eamonn Sheridan

Some pre-match reading for you, just 15 minutes until kick-off. And this match will be live on Sky Sports 5.

The42′s Murray Kinsella caught up with Oyonnax, and former Leinster centre, Eamonn Sheridan this week. Sheridan has been selected on the bench for this one.

Imposing ex-Leinster centre Sheridan embracing French mentality

Points difference could well be a factor to decide the best second-placed teams. A bonus-point win may not be enough.

And we’re under way in Belfast.

Ulster 7 Oyonnax 0 (Herring ’3)

What a start!

Ulster race out of the blocks at a serious tempo. An excellent turnover on the Oyonnax 10-metre line leads to an attacking lineout.

Their maul is stalled. A quick penalty by Paul Marshall leads to a try for captain Rob Herring. Jackson adds the extras.

That couldn’t have started much better – going from the jugular from the off it seems.

Young prop Kyle McCall in a bad way at the moment after getting himself in awkward tackling position, he got a knee to head for his troubles and looks a bit groggy.

Callum Black on now as McCall gets his head knock checked out.

A reminder of how it all stands before this weekend’s play.

This game has settled down a bit after such a frenetic beginning. Oyonnax now with an attacking penalty.

Ulster 7 Oyonnax 3 (Clegg penalty)

Rory Clegg makes no mistake from almost straight in front. This game has settled down a bit now after such a frenetic start.

CHANCE – Herring makes a great break in the Oyonnax half. But as the Ulster captain tries to channel his inner Paddy Jackson his long, wide pass is way off the mark and goes into touch.

Ulster are making carry gains with ease though – Nick Williams has been particularly prominent in the loose.

On a side note, great to see Jared Payne back in action, even if he has looked a little rusty.

Ulster awarded another attacking penalty – they won’t be kicking too many of those today.

But they are pinged for obstruction in the lineout and Oyonnax get a chance to clear their lines.

TRY Ulster 14 Oyonnax 3 (Cave ’18)

Ulster snap out of a sluggish spell with an excellent Payne break. Darren Cave, who has just returned from a six-week absence, is on his shoulder and extends Ulster’s lead to nine. Jackson, as expected, adds the extras.

Excellent start by Les Kiss’ side – this couldn’t be more different from the reverse fixture a couple of weeks ago.

If they can sustain this, they’ll be right in the mix for the quarter-finals.

MISSED PENALTY – Clegg snatches at a penalty and it just tails right and wide.

Ulster 21 Oyonnax 3 (Scholes ’28)

Jared Payne, you beauty.

He’s gliding around the park at the moment, his tidy break and delicious offload out the back of the hand finds Marshall. Coming from deep he looks a real handful – I’m sure Joe Schmidt is watching this too.

From there the backline work it well through the hands; Marshall finds Jackson and then to recently introduced Rory Scholes who touches down under the posts.

Excellent stuff from Ulster – they’ve got to keep the foot on the gas today though – four tries may not be enough remember.

ULSTER GO CLOSE – Oyonnax are not at the races at all today. Williams tries to muscle his way over but his held up.

Five-metre scrum to come.

Oyonnax turn it over though and Ulster are forced to retreat.

The French side have offered little resistance so far. Ulster need to stop them getting into this game and keep the foot on the throat.

Darren Cave is congratulated after touching down. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Andrew Trimble is back on after being patched up for a blood injury. Scholes made the most of his time on the field of course.

Ulster 28 Oyonnax 3 (Reidy ’39)

HT Ulster 28 Oyonnax 3

What a half from Ulster —  eerily similar to the first-half in France a couple of weeks ago when it was Ulster that were being trampled on by the French side.

They were behind 23-0 at half-time on that occasion after a limp first-half showing.

However, they came back in a thrilling second-half to snatch it 24-23 with a monstrous Paddy Jackson penalty on the all-weather pitch in France’s east.

The key for Ulster now is to start the second half as they began the first. Don’t give the visitors a sniff — and keep the tempo up. Points difference may well still be a factor.

Paddy Jackson, Jared Payne, Nick Williams and Rob Herring have all been hugely influential so far.

We’re back under way in Belfast.

Ulster still on top in Belfast but the tempo has definitely dropped from the first period. Williams is breaking the Oyonnax line on request at the moment.

TRY Ulster 35 Oyonnax 3 (Gilroy ’48)

That’s just what the doctor ordered.

Both Marshalls are heavily involved in the build-up. A great backline move finished off by Gilroy. Jackson looks like he can’t miss from the tee today.

Excellent from Ulster – hard to stress though how laboured Oyonnax have looked today though.

Jackson has been replaced by Ian Humphreys – an excellent 50 minutes’ work from the fly-half.

TRY – Ulster 42 Oyonnax 3 (Diack ’55)

After an eternity Robbie Diack is eventually awarded a try. Ulster cruising along now. Ian Humphreys adds the extras.

Ulster 49 Oyonnax 3 (Humphreys ’59)

That will do Humphreys’ confidence no harm at all — it must have taken a bashing after being hauled off in France at the interval, only to see Jackson turn it around.

The French side have lost interest — this is getting embarrassing. Ulster could win this by 70-odd points yet.

Ulster 56 Oyonnax 3 (Payne ’61)

Payne touches down for a deserved try. Ulster are doing their points difference a serious service now.

If they miss out on the quarters by a single point, fingers will be pointed at their slow start in France a couple of weeks ago, when they failed to claim the bonus point.

MISSED CHANCE – Oyonnax finally get a sight of the Ulster line but replacement hooker Maurouar drops it on the line – sums up their day really.

A wake-up call for Ulster.

Paddy Jackson has just come back on for the Ian Humphreys, 10 to play here.

It’s all very subdued at the moment.

Ireland captain Rory Best comes on to rapturous applause, well deserved too.

What a week for the man. And his first job, a lineout throw, goes to hand. Ulster looking to finish on a high now.

FT: Ulster 56 Oyonnax 3

That’s all folks – a great performance from Ulster.

Now they just have to sit and wait to see if it will be enough.