Paddy Jackson and Darren Cave return for Ulster’s clash with Cardiff Blues on Friday night and head coach Neil Doak is delighted to have them back.

The Ulstermen will have to make do without Tommy Bowe and Jared Payne – the Ireland duo are injured and face lengthy spells on the sidelines.

But they will be confident of extending a winning run at the Kingspan Stadium that stretches back to May 2014.

If they avoid defeat this weekend Ulster will equal their best ever home unbeaten run in the PRO12 set over a decade ago and the return of their international contingent is a boost for Doak.

“It's a long time they've been away from us and, like us all, they'll be disappointed with the way things finished but we've got games to win and we need to integrate our players as quickly as possible,” he said.

"These games are going to be coming thick and fast. With the injury profile, we've played just four games.

"When we get into a run of ten or 12 weeks, who knows what the profile could be at that stage. We don't want to leave it too late because we obviously need to know what's coming back and when they're going to come back."

After coming back from injury to earn a place on the bench last week, fly-half Ian Humphreys will start his first competitive match of the season. He will combine with Paul Marshall at half back and will have Stuart McCloskey and Sammy Arnold alongside him in midfield. The back three of Craig Gilroy, Andrew Trimble and Louis Ludik are retained.

Lewis Stevenson is the only change up front, taking the place of Dan Tuohy, who suffered from a concussion in the defeat to Edinburgh. Franco van der Merwe is his partner in the second row.

Callum Black, Rob Herring (captain) and Wiehahn Herbst will continue in the front row, with Roger Wilson, Sean Reidy and Nick Williams again making up the back row.

Jackson and Cave are on the bench while for the Blues, USA international back row Cam Dolan will make his debut.

Dolan, who has arrived at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park following his exploits with the USA Eagles at the Rugby World Cup, is named at blindside flanker as one of four changes made to the team by head coach Danny Wilson.

Josh Navidi returns to captain the team at No.8 with Josh Turnbull moving across the back row to openside.

Aled Summerhill, fresh from signing a new long-term deal with Cardiff Blues this week, is recalled on the wing and the final change sees a first start of the season for centre Adam Thomas.

Should Cardiff Blues lose this game they will complete a clean sweep of losses away to Irish provinces over the last four rounds.

The Blues’ most recent victory outside Wales in the PRO12 came when they visited Zebre in the opening round last season.

Ulster's solo defeat to Blues in their last six fixtures was 23-28 at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park in March 2014 whilst the Welshmen have not been victorious in Belfast since April 2010.

Wilson said: "We played some really good rugby last week at Munster and got ourselves in a position to get a result with ten minutes to go. We've now to build on that, our attacking shape has been good, and look to nail down these close games.

"Ulster have a fantastic squad with the likes of Nick Williams, Luke Marshall and Paddy Jackson – from one to 15 they have real quality. They are at home, which is where they are strong and it's a great venue to go and play rugby.”

At Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm. Live on BBC Sport NI
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 11th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Correll, Paul Haycock (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Eddie Walsh (IRFU)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)