European Cup record

Ulster were the first Irish winners of the trophy, defeating Colomiers 21-6 in the 1999 final at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. However, since then they have only progressed past the quarter-finals only once – in 2011/12, when they were routed 42-14 by Leinster Rugby in the final at Twickenham.

Last season

Ulster reached the quarter-finals for the second successive season, after finishing second in Pool 3 to ASM Clermont Auvergne following five wins in six matches, but they again fell at that hurdle, this time by a 36-8 margin at Toulouse.

Head coach

Dan McFarland – Ulster gave the 48-year-old Englishman his first head coach role in 2018 after spells as forwards coach with Connacht Rugby, one of his old teams as a player, and assistant coach with Glasgow Warriors and Scotland.

Key players

Ulster have three regulars in the Ireland squad in versatile back Jacob Stockdale, lock Iain Henderson and hooker Rob Herring, but scrum-half John Cooney is a massive influence too, having finished third in last season’s Heineken Champions Cup points-scorers and joint second in the try-scorers.

Pool fixtures

The Pool B ties with Toulouse will provide an immediate chance of revenge for the Irish province after their quarter-final drubbing last season. Ulster have also been paired against Gloucester Rugby, whom they haven’t played since 2007/8, when the English club beat them twice in the pool stage.

Our fact file of Pool B of the Heineken Champions Cup continues with a look at Ulster Rugby, quarter-finalists last season.