Northampton Saints are wary of the threat former Saint Roger Wilson could pose when Ulster Rugby put their season's unbeaten record on the line in a key Pool 4 showdown under the Franklin's Gardens floodlights.
Ireland international back row forward Wilson is back with the Ravenhill club after making 24 European appearances for the Northampton club and Jim Mallinder believes he could be one of the real dangermen for Saints to keep in check.
"They've got a bit strong pack," said the Saints' Director of Rugby. "We know Roger Wilson will be critical to that at No 8. He's come back, he missed most of the start of the season but he's back in form.
"The half-backs, they've got two quality players there, and they've got a real exciting backline who are very dangerous and love to score tries.
"There's no discussion in terms of how difficult it's going to be. Even when they've had a lot of players missing, which has been most recently with the international action, they've still been winning games.
"But they're human. We've beaten them before. Not this season, but we have beaten them fairly recently and we know we can beat them again, but we've got to be at our very best."
Northampton clinched a 23-13 quarter-final win against the Belfast club at stadium:mk two seasons ago but Mallinder is positive that Ulster - who are searching for their 50th Heineken Cup victory - are now an improved side.
"I think they have progressed," he said. "They've changed their coaching set-up a little bit, changed their team a little bit.
"They bring in quality players but they also develop players very well. The players who've come in are experienced and give them real leadership qualities."
