Donal Lenihan's BKT United Rugby Championship quarter-final preview

Ulster v Connacht, Kingspan Stadium, Friday, 7.35pm

Connacht had a very poor start to the season. They had to play a lot of their United Rugby Championship games away from home because they were redoing the pitch at the Sportsground.

So if you told them back at Christmas that they would make the play-offs I'm sure they would have been thrilled.

But Ulster finished the league campaign second and have been playing really well of late. They are fully locked and loaded and I think Iain Henderson is the only player that's missing for them and they have a full international back line, so it's going to be a cracking contest.

Bundee Aki and Mack Hansen are back in the Connacht line-up but I have to say with home advantage, I do fancy Ulster in this one. Albeit I think Connacht will give them a serious run.

Leinster v Sharks, Aviva Stadium, Saturday, 5pm

I think there will be changes for Leinster. Leo Cullen almost said as much really in the aftermath of their great win over Toulouse last weekend given the run that they have.

With knockout games, it could be five weekends in a row, so I think there will be changes.

But we've seen Leinster's strength in depth. They finished the league in first place and only had that one defeat against the Bulls when they basically had an under-23s side out.

The Sharks, I saw them against Munster only two weeks ago. They have a strong team on paper but they just lack real intensity.

They are also short two massive Springbok forwards in Eben Etzebeth and Siya Kolisi. They have danger in the backline, World Cup winners in Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi. But overall I think Leinster will be too strong.

Although it'll be a little bit strange with a small crowd in the Aviva, with a restricted crowd.