The hosts are dominating at the breakdown so far. The red shirts swarm as Michael Lowry is caught on halfway allowing Chris Smith to put another kick into the 22.

We've hit the cooling break in Johannesburg and Ulster will hope to use it as a chance to regroup.

Image source, Getty Images

No try as Chris Smith's pop to Eduan Keyter is clearly forward on review but Richie Murphy will be concerned at how easily the winger pierced a hole in the defence.

Chris Smith wins the kicking battle with Nathan Doak as the two try to make the most of the thin air in Johannesburg.

Doak takes a quick lineout but inadvertently takes the ball back into his 22 meaning that his long kick to touch is costly.

Lineout Lions on the 22.

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster get within five metres of the line but the hosts sniff out a turnover and secure a penalty to clear their lines. It is second row Etienne Oosthuizen who gets his mitts on the ball in the end.

The hosts win a turnover at the breakdown after Michael Lowry gets caught isolated.

Chris Smith puts the penalty up to the Ulster 22.

We are underway on a hot and sunny day at Ellis Park! Ulster kick off playing from right to left.

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster centre Jude Postlethwaite is determined to push himself into the mix for an Ireland call-up after getting a taste of the Test environment over the summer.

Having previously been involved with Emerging Ireland, Postlethwaite was a training panellist for Ireland's tour to Georgia and Portugal.

The 23-year-old has also been named in the Ireland XV squad for next month's game against Spain and is hoping to use this season as a springboard after scoring six tries in 18 appearances for Ulster last term.

"Training with the players there was really important for me, just to see what the standard is," Postlethwaite said of his Ireland experience over the summer.

"Also working with the coaches to see what it is I need to do to improve when I get my chances to start or come off the bench, like what I need to do to prove to them that I'm capable of playing and getting the cap, but it was really good."

He added: "There's a lot of younger centres coming through that are really good and I've played with a lot of them so it'll be good competition once we all start getting gametime. It's like who can perform and it'll keep me on my toes, but it's a really exciting season ahead."

After being sprung from the bench in Ulster's wins over the Bulls and Sharks, Postlethwaite will make his first start of the season this afternoon.

And after a deeply disappointing 2024-25 campaign that ended without Investec Champions Cup qualification, Postlethwaite says he senses an uptick in "belief and desire" in the Ulster squad as they target a fourth successive United Rugby Championship win.

"I feel like this has been building since pre-season," added the former RBAI pupil, who won a Six Nations Under-20 Grand Slam with Ireland in 2022.

"Our pre-season was really tough. Mark [Sexton] coming in [as attack coach] fought hard for that belief. He's obviously a really good coach and put the foundations in place for our attack.

"I feel like I know what we can do in training and when it comes off, you can tell in the games, it's hard for teams to defend."

Richie Murphy has been speaking about the late change as Bryn Ward - originally named on the bench - comes in to replace Juarno Augustus at number eight after the South African failed a late fitness test.

Ward will play alongside his older brother Zac, who starts on the wing this afternoon.

"Different challenge coming to Johannesburg and playing at altitude, first time for some of our lads," Ulster boss Richie Murphy told Premier Sports.

"New experience for them. Four of our senior players are on Ireland duty and Juarno Augustus failed a late fitness test. Bryn Ward and Joe Hopes, they're two very good players who have come through the Irish under-20 system."

Ulster defence coach Willie Faloon says beating the Lions today would be a "huge statement" after losing the squad's Ireland contingent.

The in-form Irish province, who have started the URC season with a hat-trick of bonus-point wins, go into the contest at Ellis Park without Jacob Stockdale, Stuart McCloskey, Iain Henderson and Nick Timoney, who have left for international duty before next week's Test against New Zealand in Chicago.

All four started Ulster's impressive 34-26 win over the Sharks in Durban last week and Faloon admits losing four players of their calibre in the middle of a South African tour has been less than ideal.

"A little bit disruptive," he said when asked about the departures following the Sharks game.

"We've had some players come out to bolster our numbers but we're probably down a couple and then you're losing four lads who have lots of IQ and are big leaders around the group as well, so it is disruptive, but I think the lads have been going well."

Faloon added: "It'd be a statement for our squad. To lose the four guys that we have, for our squad to step up and deliver a performance as good would be a huge statement."

Ulster are also without flanker Sean Reffell and Ireland international Cormac Izuchukwu - who Faloon revealed has sustained a "small fracture" in his foot.

Having seen off a Sharks team loaded with Springboks last time out, Ulster must become acclimatised to the heat and altitude as they look to go two from two on their South African tour and sign off for the autumn break with a fourth straight win.

"It's a huge task. We're under no illusions there. We know what's going to face us in the Lions with the heat and altitude.

"It would be a brilliant return for us."

Image source, Getty Images

Joe Hopes makes his first Ulster start after being named in the second row today.

With Iain Henderson on Ireland duty, 21-year-old lock Hopes comes in to partner Harry Sheridan after making his second Ulster appearance off the bench in last week's bonus-point win over the Sharks in Durban.

Hooker Rob Herring captains the side on his return to the line-up, with Tom Stewart switching to open-side flanker to replace Ireland's Nick Timoney after filling in as a back-row forward in the second half of the Sharks game.

In the backline, Zac Ward and Jude Postlethwaite replace Jacob Stockdale and Stuart McCloskey, both of whom are with Ireland, while Rob Baloucoune comes in for Werner Kok on the right wing.

Bryn Ward - Zac's younger brother - makes his debut from the start after Juarno Augustus failed a late fitness test. Marcus Rea is called up to the bench.

The 21-year-old back row, who has been capped by Ireland at under-20 level, travelled out to South Africa to link up with the Ulster squad earlier this week.

Lions: Q Horn; Keyter, Van Wyk, Mills, Davids; Smith, Steyn; Kotze, Marais, Ntlabakanye, Oosthuizen, Nothnagel, Cairns, Venter, F. Horn (capt).

Replacements: Brandon, Schoeman, van Vuuren, Landsberg, du Plessis, L Horn, Lombard, Mpeku.

Ulster: Lowry; Baloucoune, Hume, Postlethwaite, Z Ward; Murphy, Doak; Crean, Herring (capt), O'Toole, Sheridan, Hopes, McCann, Stewart, B Ward.

Replacements: McCormick, Reid, Wilson, Dalton, Rea, McKee, Flannery, Kok.

Image source, Inpho

Good afternoon and welcome to Johannesburg for round five of the URC! Ulster take on the Lions as one of only three teams left in the tournament with 100% records.

Richie Murphy's men have only played three games so far but followed up back-to-back home wins to start their season with an impressive 34-26 win over the Sharks in Durban last week.

Can they follow that up today with a win over a Lions side who sit eleventh in the early table? Ivan van Rooyen's men lost their opening three fixtures but defeated the Scarlets 29-18 here last week.

The hosts won this fixture last season 34-22 and will be hoping for a similar result today.

Stick with us for all of the updates!