IF ever a return to home comforts was needed for Ulster, this is the perfect time as they seek to find a way to turn their season around as they host Scarlets at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday (5.15pm, live on BBC 2).

Defeat to Benetton in Italy a fortnight ago saw them slip to 14th in the URC standings - a sign of just how difficult a campaign it has been for Richie Murphy's men.

Still, they can make up significant ground on the playoff spots and indeed, leapfrog their eighth-placed visitors with a bonus point victory this weekend.

However, given how things have gone this season, any win at all would do to try and inject some momentum back into the campaign.

Their Welsh opposition are also coming in off the back of a defeat when falling to Munster, but Dwayne Peel's side have had a positive season and find themselves just inside the playoff bracket in eight place.

With Vaea Fifita, Sam Costelow and Sam Lousi in their ranks, there is plenty of quality available for Peel during the second of the Six Nations' down weeks.

Ordinarily, those on the fringes of the Ireland squad would be free to see some game-time, but the injury nightmare for Ulster this season shows now sign of slowing with Cormac Izuchukwu sustaining an ankle injury in the recent defeat to Benetton and will be unavailable for selection for a number of weeks.

In better news, Callum Reid returns from injury to start at loosehead prop and Scott Wilson starting at tighthead prop, joining Rob Herring at hooker.

Alan O’Connor retains his position in the second row and captains the side alongside Matthew Dalton, who makes his first senior start since re-joining his boyhood province earlier in the season.

James McNabney is the only change to the back row, with the Development forward starting at number eight for the first time since being involved in the Ireland Six Nations training squad. Matty Rea gets the nod at blindside flanker and Nick Timoney starts again on the openside.

A youthful half-back partnership sees Academy fly-half Jack Murphy named alongside Conor McKee - also making his first start - while the Ireland international duo of Stuart McCloskey and James Hume provide plenty of experience in the Ulster midfield.

In the back three, Jacob Stockdale starts on the left wing, with Michael Lowry cleared to take up the right wing position, and Stewart Moore selected at full-back.

In an addition to the Senior Men's squad, Ulster Rugby have agreed a short-term deal for Irish-Qualified loosehead prop, Sam Crean, who has joined up with the squad from Saracens and is named on the bench.