So much hinges on this one and yet (mobiles at the ready) so much in turn hinges on what happens 110 miles or so south. Of course, each of these can realistically only think of a top-two place but even within that scenario there's an onus on Ulster to score four tries that no other province has faced thus far.

Winning alone runs the highly probable risk of being edged out on that second place on points difference or through the Donnybrook losers finishing out of Ulster's reach courtesy of a bonus point or two. A fifth point for scoring four tries, however, would give Ulster a far better shot at second spot.

Coming after the high of last week's win over Toulouse, this is a far truer test of the loyalty of the 9,000 who attended that game. Ulster's need is arguably even greater tonight, and knowing that your side has to score four tries ought in theory be a salivating prospect for the home fans.

Harry Williams has picked a side accordingly. Eric Miller will have been straining at the leash for this game while if James Topping is anything like the first-half performer he was in last summer's tour opener against Boland, he'll certainly add another try-scoring string to their bow.

Best of all, from Ulster's perspective, is that the hitherto consistent David Humphreys (never a word we'd thought we'd use about him) has put together two of his near-vintage performances.

It could be that the added responsibilities of captaincy in the absence of his normal `minder' Mark McCall have brought the best out of him. That, and the comforts of a more settled home environment. In terms of those benefits, the timing would be about right.

With Andy Ward also in vintage form, Ulster are firing again. Miller's dynamism off the base of the scrum and in open play could add another two or three dimensions to their game - the only potential drawback being not that he isn't fit, but that he might burst a gut trying too hard.

But a banana skin lurks. It's called Connacht, and their cussedly difficult to put away. They are also a hard side to score tries against, even when you're bullying them in the set-pieces as Ulster did when losing at the Sportsground. In fact, Connacht haven't conceded more than two tries in an interpro this season.

They retain all but four of the side which accounted for Ulster in round one, and in all bar one instance (Eric Elwood giving way to Simon Allnutt, who is expected to play) they're arguably better for the changes. Indeed, Conor McGuinness is now coming to the boil nicely, and Ian Dillon could even supplement the midfield edge they had over Ulster the last day.

Having missed out on the top two to Ulster only on points difference in each of the last two seasons, few could begrudge Connacht an overdue place in the sun. However their first-quarter naivety/inferiority complex (whatever the hell it is) haunts them weekly and one imagines they can ill-afford another sleepy start given the demands on Ulster this evening.

Nonetheless, whoever wins, the suspicion lurks that it may still not be a rewarding night for them.