Ulster to welcome Queensland Reds and Les Kiss to Belfast

Ulster Rugby have confirmed a one-off exhibition game against Super Rugby side Queensland Reds next season.

The province will host the Australian side in the 'Bank of Ireland Mid-Season Challenge' on Friday 7 February at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.

The Reds, who finished fifth in the Super Rugby Pacific standings this season before being eliminated by the Chiefs in the quarter-final, are coached by former Ulster director of rugby Les Kiss, while ex-Ulster prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen and Kildare second row Cormac Daly are also on their books.

The fixture, which has been arranged as part of Ulster Rugby's centenary celebrations, will be the third time the sides have met, after previous tour matches in 1986 and 2008, both won by Ulster.

"Personally, I can't wait," said Kiss, who was an assistant coach to Joe Schmidt at Ireland before joining Ulster in 2015.

"I have great memories of my own time at Ulster and players like Iain Henderson, a Lions player in his own right,

"The stadium is an intimidating place to play. I can’t think of a better experience for our players than to meet when the fans are singing 'Stand Up for the Ulstermen’ on a cold Friday night."

Watch the URC final, Bulls v Glasgow Warriors, on Saturday from 4.55pm on the RTÉ News Channel