Ulster must win on Friday night against Connacht to keep their season alive, according to winger Andrew Trimble.

The side have lost three of their last four outings and have dropped outside the top four and another loss will be detrimental to their play-off hopes in this year’s GUINNESS PRO 12.

Connacht are currently sitting pretty at the top of the table having only lost five times all season and will be hoping for their first win in Belfast since 1960.

Ulster's two home defeats in the PRO12 this season were by a margin of only two points to Munster in round 11 and just one point against Scarlets in round 15 and Connacht will have to be at their best to take anything from the game.

"This is a must-win game for us," said Ireland winger Trimble. "We have put ourselves in a corner and we have to come out fighting. I have every confidence that that is going to bring the very best out of us.

"But we know Connacht are going to be a handful here. They deserve all the credit they are getting because they are playing unbelievable rugby with ball in hand and entertaining the crowds."

The side will make five changes from last week’s fixture with Pete Browne replacing the injured Alan O’Connor in the second row while Iain Henderson is set to make his first home appearance since December in the back-row.

Ulster also welcome back their Irish trio from international duty as captain Rory Best and full-backs Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne return.

Table-toppers Connacht are due to make a number of changes to their side as they look to extend their lead in the GUINNESS PRO 12.

With Tiernan O’Halloran missing with a quad injury, Robbie Henshaw will start the game at full-back, while Shane O’Leary will be handed the reins at fly-half for his first PRO12 start.

Kieran Marmion will be replaced by scrum-half John Cooney on his return from injury and up front Rodney Ah You comes in for the injured Nathan White and Andrew Browne forms a new second-row partnership with Aly Muldowney.

On the back of last week’s Leinster win, head coach Pat Lam has been working his men hard in training as he chases his first win against Ulster as Connacht boss.

He said: “The interpros mean a lot to the boys, and the one team we haven’t beaten since I’ve been here is Ulster. So it will be a big week and we’ll put a lot of work into trying to beat them.

“Now we’ve got a tough challenge, six days’ turnaround to a pretty physical, fired-up Ulster, who are desperate. And that’s probably what’s pleased me most.

“In the last six games that we’ve won, for all of the teams that we’ve played, it’s not a normal game. Their season is on the line too.”

At Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm.
Live on BBC NI and TG4

Referee: Dudley Phillips (IRFU, 61st competition game)
Assistant Referees: Gary Conway, Nigel Correll (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Eugene Ryan (IRFU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)