Ulster v Stade Francais RavenhillEuropean Cup: Ulster coach Alan Solomons will hook up with his long-time friend, sometime adversary and one-time coaching colleague Nick Mallett for a coffee today before this evening's eagerly awaited clash between Ulster and Parisiaaristocrats Stade Francais at a packed Ravenhill.

Having pitted their coaching skills against each other with South African provinces Boland and Western Province, Solomons became Mallett's assistant for three years with the Springboks, when they put together a record run of 17 wins in succession.

"We had some magnificent times. For me, the highlights would have been in 1997 in the last Test played at the Parc des Princes when we beat France 52-10, and the 50th Test between South Africa and New Zealand in Wellington, which we won as well, in our Tri-Nations win that year," recalls Solomons.

"It will be nice to see him (Mallett) after such a long time. I think he's a good coach, a good friend, and a good bloke."

Mallett echoed those sentiments, not having seen his old mate since their annual lunch rendezvous in South Africa during the Northern Hemisphere off-season. They still speak on "a monthly basis" according to Mallett, who is being linked with a return to the Springboks job.

This in turn, of course, raises the possibility they might renew their old partnership there.

In the meantime, they have made minimal changes to sides which had contrasting results last week - Ulster lost away to the Gwent Dragons while the reigning French champions had their 14 World Cup players back to kickstart their season with a home win over Leicester.

Ryan Constable has been ruled out by a slight tear in a shoulder muscle, seeing Shane Stewart promoted to the starting line-up and Paddy Wallace onto the bench.

Mallett has recalled Pieter de Villiers (pound for pound the world's best prop?) and Mauro Bergamasco after a win over Leicester which Mallett strives to play down as a little fortunate.

"We got a try which, had it gone to a video referee, probably wouldn't have been awarded."

Solomons described as "unbelievable" the way his pack coughed up 50 per cent of their lineouts and struggled at scrum time, yet cited "seven or eight clean line breaks" in maintaining "we could and should have won". All in all, a most unUlster-like performance, which leaves them at something of a point of no return tonight, and needing a back-to-basics performance in applying traditional Friday night pressure onto more celebrated opponents.

"There's no question about it," admits Solomons. "If you want to have any chance at all of qualifying for the knock-out stages in Europe you have to win your home games. We are in the God Almighty group and that is why it was so disappointing to lose to Gwent. It's a difficult one for us, they're a helluva side, but we're going out there to win the game. We certainly can't have our setpieces fractured like we did last week."

" They (Stade) are able to play any kind of rugby because they've got a good kicking game with Dominguez at 10 and Liebenberg at 12, so they've all-round strength. There's no real weaknesses in their side."

The financial riches of the Stade benefactor and president Max Guazzini - whereby they can afford to simply replace Fabien Galthie with Agustin Pichot - prompted Solomons to liken tonight's game to one between Manchester United and a Nationwide First Division side.

What's more, Stade are by French standards an excellent defensive side. "Apart from Dominguez they've got enormous backs," says Solomons. "They've got two really big centres and very big wings and a big full back, as well as three very big loose forwards. They're very strong defensively."

The comfort of home will be something of a fillip. Ulster have not lost at home since Saracens beat them at Ravenhill three seasons ago - indeed no Irish side has lost a pool match at home since that night. Mallett is mindful of that and no doubt players such as Dominguez, who has a poor track record in Ireland, will be conscious that Stade have lost on their two visits to Belfast.

"It's been very difficult bringing in new guys like Pichot and Hernandez as well as getting the French guys back after three months away," admitted Mallett. "I think our pool is arguably the toughest and to win your home games is absolutely vital and obviously bonus points could be crucial as well, so whatever else happens we must strive to remain within seven points."

Such cautious words no doubt mask Stade's true intentions. The start will be critical. For Ulster, troubling the scoreboard first will be imperative, all the more so as French travails come more into play if they are forced on the back foot. By contrast, if the visitors open up an early lead, their chests will swell. They have far more match-winners, Brian Liebenberg and the brilliant young Puma Juan Hernandez in midfield, their proven outside three. Pound for pound, Stade even look bigger and more potent up front.

On paper, an Ulster win would seem illogical. But they'll surely have a positive reaction to last week's disappointment, and it would be most unlike their setpieces to break down two weeks running. Matt Sexton, troubled by a hamstring last week, and Robbie Kempson will surely ensure that much, as will local cult hero Andy Ward, who apparently is playing as well as ever.

The wilder, colder, wetter the night is, the better. The longer it stays tight, the more David Humphreys's kicking is likely to come into play. This will have to be another almighty effort from the old Ravenhill, Friday night manual. But much stranger things have happened here and elsewhere in this unique competition.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; J Topping, S Stewart, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; R Kempson, M Sexton, S Best, R Frost, G Longwell, A Ward (capt), N Best, R Wilson. Replacements: P Shields, R Moore, M Mustchin, T McWhirter, K Campbell, A Larkin, P Wallace.

STADE FRANCAIS: I Corletto; T Lombard, J Hernandez, B Liebenberg, Mirco Bergamasco; D Dominguez, A Pichot; S Marconnet, B August, P de Villiers, D Auradou, A Marchois, C Moni, P Rabadan, Mauro Bergamasco.

Referee: Nigel Williams (Wales).

Previous meetings: 1998-99 (semi-finals) Ulster 33 Stade Francais 27. 2001-2 Stade Francais 40 Ulster 11; Ulster 19 Stade Francais 16.

Formguide: Ulster - lost 15-24 v Gwent Dragons (a). Stade Francais - beat Leicester 26-15 (h).

Leading scorers: Ulster - David Humphreys 15. Stade Francais - Diego Dominguez 16.

Forecast: Ulster to win.