Ulster’s 22-18 triumph at the RDS was their first win over Leinster in Dublin since 1999 – the year they were so famously crowned champions of Europe with an epic victory over Colomiers at a jam packed Lansdowne Road.

Captain of the Ulstermen that day was David Humphreys, the club’s current director of rugby, although he only got the job when Mark McCall, his current Saracens equivalent, was injured earlier in the season. In the end, the two men went up to receive the trophy.

Fourteen years on, the two former comrades in arms will be plotting each other’s downfall at Twickenham Stadium, the venue of Ulster’s heavy defeat by Leinster in last year’s Heineken Cup final. It is the perfect stage for what promises to be a fire-cracker of a game.

There will be glorious battles all over the field with the clash of the two young outside halves, England’s Owen Farrell in Saracens colours and Ireland’s Paddy Jackson in the white of Ulster, will be high up the pecking order, as will Chris Ashton’s wing battle with Andrew Trimble.

But the game is likely to turn on whether or not Johan Muller’s visiting pack can surpress the Saracens’ eight. Former All Blacks tight head prop John Afoa is due back in the country before the weekend after returning to New Zealand for the birth of his third child and his front row battle with Mako Vunipola could be crucial.

Ulster have a strong front five when everyone is fit and. This game will determine exactly how strong. Home advantage will give Saracens an edge, but they will have to be wary of the all round game and kicking skills of Ruan Pienaar at the base of the Ulster scrum.

The Springbok ace should be well enough known to many of the Saracens players with South African roots. They’ll all know that denying him the opportunity to show off his goalkicking ability will be key to their cause.

Match Facts

• Saracens have been the most efficient at the lineout this season, securing ball from 94% of their throws so far. Ulster’s lineout success rate (74%) on the other hand is the lowest of all sides in the tournament.
   
• Ulster’s Chris Henry is the top tackler in the Heineken Cup this season with the back row completing 74 of 75 attempts so far.
   
• Owen Farrell has overtaken Glen Jackson as the club’s top points scorer in this tournament notching up 202 to surpass Jackson’s previous record of 193.
   
• Saracens have recorded four wins and suffered seven losses against opponents from Ireland in the Heineken Cup.
   
• Against English opposition in the tournament, Ulster have been victorious on 13 occasions but have lost 19, most recently they have won seven of their last 10 against clubs from England.