Herring is one of six players involved in Ireland’s unbeaten Autumn Series to return to Dan McFarland’s matchday squad; Jordi Murphy, John Cooney and Stuart McCloskey are also set to start, while Rory Best and Jacob Stockdale are included among the replacements.

Herring will be joined in the front row by Andy Warwick and Marty Moore, with Kieran Treadwell and captain Alan O’Connor continuing in the second row.

Murphy’s inclusion at openside flanker means there is a shuffle in the back row with Sean Reidy moving to the other side of the scrum and Marcell Coetzee shifting back to the base.

Cooney, who has not featured for Ulster in six weeks due to a combination of injury and international commitments, is re-instated at scrumhalf and will resume a half-back partnership with Billy Burns.

McCloskey and Abbey Insurance Ulster Academy centre James Hume are paired in midfield, while Henry Speight, Louis Ludik and Hume’s Academy teammate Michael Lowry make up the back three.

Best, Academy prop Eric O’Sullivan, Ross Kane, recent signing Ian Nagle and Nick Timoney are named on the bench as forward reinforcements, with Dave Shanahan, Johnny McPhillips and Stockdale covering the backline.

The match will be televised live on Premier Sports and eir Sport, with radio coverage on BBC Radio Ulster and RTE Radio.

Ulster: M Lowry; H Speight; J Hume, S McCloskey, L Ludik; B Burns, J Cooney; A Warwick, R Herring, M Moore, A O’Connor (captain), K Treadwell, S Reidy, J Murphy, M Coetzee;

Replacements: R Best, E O’Sullivan, R Kane, I Nagle, N Timoney, D Shanahan, J McPhillips, J Stockdale.

Cardiff Blues: Matthew Morgan; Aled Summerhill, Harri Millard, Rey Lee-Lo, Jason Harries; Jarrod Evans, Lloyd Williams (capt.); Rhys Gill, Kristian Dacey, Scott Andrews, Seb Davies, Josh Turnbull, Samu Manoa, Olly Robinson, Nick Williams

Replacements: Liam Belcher, Rhys Carré, Dillon Lewis, George Earle, James Down, Tomos Williams, Steven Shingler, Garyn Smith