Ulster's Nathan Doak unruffled by prospect of going up against Toulouse star Antoine Dupont in Champions Cup opener

The mercurial French scrum half has lifted two European Cups and four domestic league titles, while on the international stage he has won a grand slam and led his country to the Olympic Sevens gold medal on home soil.

Dupont has been voted world player of the year in both the 15 and seven man code and has been a thorn in Ulster’s side in the past, scoring an injury time try in the second leg of the last 16 to knock the province out of Europe two years ago and bagging two tries as Toulouse triumphed 48-24 when the sides last met in January.

Doak, though, is relishing the challenge against the French star.

“He has set the benchmark for the rest of us,” said Doak, “I definitely want to get a go against him. I’m really looking forward to it now and seeing how I get on.

“When the fixtures came out it was definitely something that I had earmarked – I have never had the opportunity to start against him.

“He is obviously a guy you watch as you play in the same position, and you see the stuff that he does.”

Knowing what is coming from Dupont is one thing but trying to stop him and the rest of the star-studded Toulouse backline is another.

Doak added: “I think that is the question that everyone wants to answer. We’ve had a look at it; he is obviously the best player in the world for a reason, but you don’t want to get too hung up on him – they have talent right throughout their whole team.

“For us it is just about making sure that we do our things right, focusing on ourselves, and see where that gets us.”

Ulster won on their last visit to the Stade Ernest Wallon and secured a big knockout win in against Montpellier in France last season.

“We have beaten Toulouse out there before albeit with a different squad,” said Doak. “We have played quite a lot of French teams in this competition so we kind of know what is coming to an extent.

“There is experience throughout the squad… and it is something to definitely look forward to.

“[There is] a lot of external pressure we try to block out. We know where we are as a group is probably not where we want to be, but everyone knows there is a responsibility no matter where we are. When you’re pulling on the white jersey there is a benchmark of what is expected of you.

“So, whatever that is individually, that is what we are going to try to bring this weekend against Toulouse.”

Doak was drafted into the Ireland squad during the summer tour to South Africa and is hoping to return to the national set up in the future.

“In the summer I was on holiday and got called in. It was a great opportunity for me to be part of a test match against South Africa which they won, so it was class to be part of that,” he said.

“Coming into this season, having got a taste of that, it is something that I want to be back in. I’m just trying to put together performances that gives me a shot of trying to get back in there.”

There is only one change in the starting back line from the one that took the pitch in the defeat to Leinster as Ireland centre Stuart McCloskey returns to partner Ben Carson in midfield.

There are four changes in the pack with the Rea brothers – Marcus and Matty – starting in the backrow. Harry Sheridan is in the engine row with captain Alan O’Connor and Andy Warwick coming into the front row.

Ulster: (15-9) S Moore; W Kok, B Carson, S McCloskey, M Lowry; A Morgan, N Doak; (1-8) A Warwick, J McCormick, S Wilson; A O’Connor (captain), H Sheridan; Matty Rea, Marcus Rea, J McNabney.

Replacements: R Herring, E O’Sullivan, T O’Toole, I Henderson, C Izuchukwu, D Shanahan, J Postlethwaite, N Timoney.