Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at the Affidea Stadium

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Not that the two teams need any additional motivation, but the players will run out either side of the silverware they are both playing for.

The Challenge Cup trophy is looking resplendent in the evening Belfast sun.

Eyes on the prize, boys.

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In January last year, Cormac Izuchukwu's hat-trick helped keep alive Ulster's hopes of advancing to the Champions Cup knock-out stages with a thumping bonus-point victory over Exeter Chiefs at Kingspan Stadium.

Having fallen 12-0 behind early on, Ulster hit back to draw level at half-time following a breathless opening 40 minutes in which the sides shared six tries.

While the Chiefs ran out of steam, Ulster surged clear with four more tries in the second half to guarantee Challenge Cup rugby and pile pressure on fourth-placed Sharks, who travel to Bordeaux on Sunday (13:00 GMT).

The result draws Ulster level on points with the Sharks but the South African side have the edge on points difference with -33 to to Ulster's -61.

But having suffered three heavy defeats, the manner in which Ulster blew Exeter away in the second half may prove a turning point for their season even if they fall short in reaching the last-16.

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Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter: “This weekend is going to be a pretty big challenge. At their stadium, I imagine with a good crowd in and after they rested and rotated a lot last week to prepare for this game. We’re expecting a pretty full-blooded, tough game of rugby.

“That’s what it should be though. That’s why you want to qualify for these competitions and why you work hard to get to semi-finals and finals.

“Ulster will certainly be expecting to set the physicality of the game early. They will think they can boss large areas of the game but my expectation is that we will turn up and set a different level of intensity at the start of the game to make it a very competitive encounter.”

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Ulster head coach Richie Murphy said he has been "managing resources" to ensure his side can "go after" their European Challenge Cup semi-final against Exeter Chiefs.

Murphy selected a rotated side for Ulster’s 41-14 United Rugby Championship (URC) defeat against Munster last weekend.

He did so with a balancing act in mind as Ulster had to contend with a lengthily injury list and the challenge of competing for silverware on the domestic and European front, something he believes they will be able to do with some injured players coming back and others having been rested for the trip to Limerick.

"What last week about was managing resources and still being able to go after this [semi-final]" he told BBC Sport NI.

"We had a heavily rotated team last week, had a number of injuries but we also rested key individuals who had been playing six weeks in a row so their clock has been reset.

"They're in a position where this week is a fresh week and it could be a run of three, five or eight games [to end the season if Ulster reach a European final and go all the way in the URC play-offs].

"We know exactly where we are from in an injury point of view and we're looking a bit more positive in that regard."

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI at the Affidea Stadium

It's amazing what a bit of sun can do.

Ulster's last two European nights in Belfast have been heavily hit by rain and wind, but it's glorious today.

The fans seem to be taking to that, too. There's a great buzz as you walk to the ground with fans happily queuing for chips and pints on a fine Saturday evening.

It's not quite as nice as Bilbao (I'm guessing), but let's take worry about that in a couple of hours.

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Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter has named a strong front row as Scott Sio returns alongside Bachuki Tchumbadze and hooker Max Norey, while Dafydd Jenkins and Andrea Zambonin start at lock.

With Ethan Roots suspended and Greg Fisilau sidelined with a knee injury, Christ Tshiunza starts at openside flanker while Tom Hooper and Ross Vintcent complete the pack.

Stephen Varney and Harvey Skinner, who have 24 try assists between them this season, start at half-back while Len Ikitau joins Henry Slade in an experienced centre partnership.

The in-form Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, who has scored four tries in as many appearances since returning from the hamstring injury that ruled him out of England's Six Nations campaign, is named on the left wing.

Paul Brown-Bampoe is following return to play protocols so Campbell Ridl moves from full-back to wing, while Ben Hammersley comes into the side at full-back.

Exeter Chiefs: Hammersley; Ridl; Slade, Ikitau; Feyi-Waboso; Skinner, Varney; Sio, Norey, Tchumbadze; Jenkins (c), Zambonin; Hooper, Tshiunza, Vintcent.

Replacements: Dweba, Burger, Iosefa-Scott, Tuima, Worley Brady, Cairens, Haydon-Wood, Lilley.

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Australia prop Angus Bell and centre James Hume have been ruled out of Ulster's Challenge Cup semi-final with Exeter Chiefs on Saturday.

Both players had been injury doubts for the game after being forced off in the United Rugby Championship defeat by Leinster in April.

On Tuesday, Ulster said Bell would be assessed for a foot injury, while Hume had a neck complaint, but neither player is fit enough to feature.

Sam Crean is joined by Tom Stewart and Tom O'Toole in the front row, while captain Ian Henderson and Cormac Izuchukwu make up the second row.

Nick Timoney has returned from injury to be named in the back row alongside David McCann and Juarno Augustus.

Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy will line out at half-back, while Stuart McCloskey and the returning Jude Postlethwaite start at centre.

Jacob Stockdale, Zac Ward and Michael Lowry make up the back three.

Bryn Ward, another casualty from the defeat by Leinster, is fit enough to take his place on the bench.

Ulster: Lowry; Z Ward; Postlethwaite, McCloskey; Stockdale; Murphy, Doak; Crean, Stewart, O'Toole' Henderson (capt), Izuchukwu; McCann, Timoney, Augustus.

Replacements: McCormick, O'Sullivan, McAllister, Irvine, B Ward, McKee, Flannery, McIlroy.

Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage from the Affidea Stadium, Belfast, as Ulster and Exeter Chiefs clash for a place in the European Challenge Cup Final.

The final will take place in the Spanish city of Bilbao on Friday, 22 May, but before any fans look to book their flights, first of all comes the small matter of getting there by winning today's game.

Follow us for all the action, events and ups-and-downs of this evening's game.