Ulster travel to the Stade Les Septs Deniers for Sunday's game against Toulouse hoping to compound French misery. Toulouse have lost their opening two matches in this season's European Cup campaign and anything other than a victory would signal the end for a team that has made the knockout stages each year since the competition started.

The last time the two teams met at the pool stages was Ulster's annus mirabilis of 1998, when there were three encounters. Ulster lost in France before enjoying victory in the return game at Ravenhill. The teams were pitted together at the quarter-final stage, once again in Belfast, a night and a victory that will be long remembered in the history of Ulster rugby.

There has been some turnover in personnel but a large majority of the players from both sides remain and will contest Sunday's game. Ulster boast six players who did not take part in the 1998 games: Grant Henderson, Ryan Constable, Tyrone Howe, Brad Free, Simon Best and Russell Nelson. But nine of the team remain.

Toulouse have yet to select, but injuries may deprive them of two players who played in 1998. Lee Stensness is definitely out and Emile Ntamack is doubtful. The French club side retain a core from the three encounters and will be hoping to repeat their victory of that year in Stade Les Septs Deniers and perhaps achieve back-to-back victories when they arrive at Ravenhill a week later.

Toulouse - 39, Ulster - 3

(Stade Les Septs Deniers, Saturday, September 26th, 1998)

There was little indication of the momentous season that would follow as Ulster crashed to defeat with a careless and insipid second-half performance that drew the wrath of coach Harry Williams. He was furious with the sloppy play in the second half that allowed Toulouse to grab four tries and build on a 13-3 half-time advantage.

Williams seethed: "I was bitterly disappointed at the final result. We made so many stupid errors. We knew we had to make as few turnovers as possible, but instead of holding on to the ball and restarting we just handed it to them. It was all very frustrating."

Scoring Sequence 26 mins: Ougier penalty, 3-0; 31: Delaigue penalty, 6-0; 38: Ntamack try, Delaigue conversion, 130; 40: Mason penalty, 13-3. Half-time: 13-3. 51: Desbrosse try, Delaigue conversion, 20-3; 63: Marfaing try, Ougier conversion, 27-3; 65: Ntamack try, 32-3; 80: Lapoutge try, Ougier conversion, 393.

TOULOUSE: S Ougier; E Ntamack, P Bondouy, C Desbrosse, M Marfaing; Y Delaigue, J Cazalbou (capt); F Tournaire, Y Brue, JL Jordana, H Miorin, F Belot, D Lacroix, N Spanghero, C Labit. Replace- ments: P Lapoutge for Ntamack 65 mins; J Fillol for Cazalbou (65 mins); P Soula for Brue (67 mins); M Mafutuna for Jordana (75 mins); S Moulucou for Spanghero (76 mins).

ULSTER: S Mason; S Coulter, J Bell, C Van Rensburg, J Cunningham; D Humphreys (capt), A Matchett; J Fitzpatrick, R Weir, G Leslie, G Longwell, M Rea, S McKinty, T McWhirter, D Macartney. Replacements: S McDowell for Cunningham (43 mins); S Duncan for McWhirter (55 mins); R Irwin for Leslie (63 mins); S Bell for van Rensburg (72 mins); M Blair for Rea (76 mins).

Referee: D Bevan (Wales).

Ulster - 29, Toulouse - 24

(Ravenhill, Friday, October 16th, 1998)

The visitors would pay dearly for their indiscipline, the boot of Simon Mason exacting fitting retribution. It was the first of those memorable nights at Ravenhill that season as 9,000 fans saluted a famous Ulster victory long after the final whistle.

One of the try scorers that night, South African Clinton van Rensburg, had to move on before the knockout stages, but it was his fax wishing the team well that coach Harry Williams singled out before his charges played and won the final against Colomiers that year. The final 20 minutes was excruciating for the home supporters but Ulster hung on.

Scoring Sequence: 1 min: Mason penalty, 3-0; 3: Mason penalty, 60; 7: Mason penalty, 9-0; 11: Mason penalty, 120; 14: Marfaing try, Ougier conversion, 12-7; 30: Mason try, 17-7; 35: Cazalbou try, Delaigue conversion, 17-14. Half-time: 17-14. 45: Cazalbou try, Ougier conversion, 17-21; 51: McKinty try, 22-21; 59: van Rensburg try, Mason conversion, 29-21; 62: Delaigue penalty, 29-24.

ULSTER: S Mason; S Coulter, J Bell, C van Rensburg, J Cunningham; D Humphreys (capt), S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, A Clarke, R Irwin, M Blair, G Longwell, S McKinty, T McWhirter, A Ward. Replacements: G Leslie for Irwin (60 mins).

TOULOUSE: S Ougier; P Lapoutge, R Paillat, C Desbrosse, M Marfaing; Y Delaigue, J Cazalbou (capt); C Vencheri, W Servat, JL Jordana, N Spanghero, F Belot, D Lacroix, C Labit, S Dispagne. Replacements: E Ntamack for Desbrosse (43 mins); F Pelous for Belot (48 mins); P Soula for Servat (48 mins); C Deylaud for Delaigue (50 mins); F Tournaire for Vencheri (52 mins).

Referee: E Murray (Scotland).

Ulster - 15, Toulouse - 13

(Ravenhill, Friday, December 11th, 1998)

A night made famous not alone for Ulster's victory in the European Cup quarter-final but flanker Andy Ward's dash to the bedside of his wife - he left the pitch on 48 minutes - and the subsequent birth of their baby son Zac, a double celebration for the Ward family.

The other outstanding memory is David Humphreys's magnificent covering tackle on Toulouse wing Michel Marfaing which prevented a certain try in the dying minutes of the game. Humphreys, who had dropped two goals during the match, was led from the pitch with a suspected dislocated shoulder suffered during the tackle but would recover to lead Ulster to a brilliant semi-final victory over Stade Francais at the same venue weeks later.

Scoring Sequence: 11 mins: Humphreys drop goal, 3-0; 30: Mason penalty, 6-0; 35: Humphreys drop goal, 9-0. Half-time: 9-0. 46: Delaigue penalty, 9-3; 52: Mason penalty, 12-3; 60: Mason penalty, 15-3; 63: Delaigue penalty, 15-6; 68: Pelous try, Ougier conversion, 15-13.

ULSTER: S Mason; S Coulter, S McDowell, J Bell, J Cunningham; D Humphreys (capt), A Matchett; J Fitzpatrick, A Clarke, R Irwin, M Blair, G Longwell, S McKinty, T McWhirter, A Ward. Replacements: A Park for McDowell (10 mins); D Topping for Ward (48 mins); G Leslie for Irwin (54 mins); R Weir for Clarke (64 mins); B Cunningham for Humphreys (78 mins).

TOULOUSE: S Ougier; X Garbajosa, R Paillat, L Stensness, M Marfaing; Y Delaigue, J Cazalbou (capt); C Califano, Y Bru, JL Jordana, F Belot, F Pelous, C Labit, S Dispagne, D Lacroix. Replacements: H Miorin for Lacroix (53 mins); C Desbrosse for Paillat (61 mins).

Referee: B Campsall (England). : Inpho)