'I just feel that Munster is a better fit for me' - Farrell ready for familiar Ulster challenge

It's eight years since Chris Farrell took a leap of faith and swapped Belfast for the foot of the French Alps.

After failing to make the breakthrough with his native province, the Ulsterman linked up with Mike Prendergast and Bernard Jackman at Grenoble in the Top14, before returning to Ireland when courted by Munster three years later.

The centre was a relative unknown when he made the move to France, but within three years he was one of Irish rugby's hottest commodities.

Now in his fifth season at Munster, the 29-year-old is firmly settled in Limerick, and as he prepares for another Ulster return tonight in the quarter-finals of the United Rugby Championship, he admits he no longer feels that same affinity with his native province.

"Other than the fact that I had to get 16 tickets for my family the last time I went up there, I don't feel that I have a huge connection to the province, it's been so long and I went away so young," he said.

"I obviously loved Ulster growing up and they were the team I followed, but having moved away so young and it not working out up there with everything, I've lost a little bit of connection and that comes with having loved my time elsewhere.

"I absolutely loved my time in France and I just feel that Munster is a better fit for me an individual."

When he and Munster last visited Kingspan Stadium in April, Farrell was one of the standout players in his side's 24-17 victory, a first for them in Belfast since 2016, and a first for him as an away player at Ravenhill.

While he hasn't scored a try in his last 10 games, the Ireland international is one of Munster's in-form backline players of the last two months, with their game plan appearing to be utilising him more as a decoy and distributor rather