Sean Reidy has featured in all five of Ulster's European Cup games this season

European Rugby Champions Cup Venue: Welford Road, Leicester Date: Saturday, 19 January Kick-off: 15:15 GMT Coverage: Live commentary on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live sports extra & BBC Radio Ulster MW

Sean Reidy believes Ulster's recent European Champions Cup performances have helped to bring the squad together following the turmoil of last season.

Back-to-back wins against Scarlets and a thrilling victory over Racing 92 have put the Irish province on the brink of the knockout stages.

A win at Leicester this week would seal their first quarter-final since 2014.

"Obviously there have been a lot of people coming and going and that's coaches included," said flanker Reidy.

"But I think we've really galvanised as a team, especially over these last 10 weeks or so. I think we're heading in the right direction, especially last weekend when times were tough and Racing were really attacking well and we came together and got over the line."

Director of rugby Les Kiss and his successor Jono Gibbes both stepped down from their roles during a turbulent 2017-18 campaign at Ulster but new head coach Dan McFarland has helped to restore confidence since his arrival just weeks before the start of the season.

Having drawn last year's runners-up, Racing 92, and beaten semi-finalists, Scarlets, few Ulster supporters would have expected their side to advance from their pool this season but Reidy says he always believed in the potential of the squad.

"From a personal point of view I thought we'd be there all along," he said.

"I backed the squad and knew that if we got things right we'd definitely be there at the end of the season. We've just put ourselves in a position now that we can go over there and really confirm that."

'Second best won't be good enough' against Leicester

Tigers playing for their pride

Leicester, who are bottom of Pool Four, have no chance of reaching the quarter-finals but on Saturday the Tigers will be looking to respond to their defeat at Kingspan Stadium in October and can also avenge their 2015 loss in Belfast when a surprise Ulster victory denied the Premiership club a chance of reaching the knockout stages.

Ulster's England-born lock Kieran Treadwell, whose parents will be in the crowd at Welford Road on Saturday, is well aware of the intimidating atmosphere his side will be facing this week having travelled there as the 24th man with Harlequins before his switch to Belfast.

"It is a hostile place to go, but we just have to create our own buzz within the team, it is not like playing at Kingspan Stadium with 18,000 fans screaming for you," said Treadwell.

"It is going to be a tough place to go and get the win, but we have to focus on ourselves. The job is only half done. We have to get the second half done on Saturday.

"Leicester have a massive pack as well, they're powerful but probably don't have as much as an offload game as Racing did. But we have got to prepare ourselves for the physical battle up front."

'It's not luck, we've put ourselves in this position' - Ulster coach McFarland

Fragile optimism fortified in Europe

The fragile optimism generated by Ulster's four-match unbeaten start to the season appeared to be in danger of vanishing in early October when McFarland's side slumped to heavy back-to-back interprovincial derby losses.

A record 64-7 defeat by Munster at Thomond Park was followed six days later by a first loss to Connacht in Belfast in almost 60 years, which seemed to be far from ideal preparation for the beginning of their European campaign.

But the opening-round win over the Tigers the following week sparked a revival in form with Ulster losing just four of their 12 matches since their first European game of the season.

"We know we're going to have to go there and bring our 'A game'," Reidy acknowledged.

"It's just not resting on your laurels this week. We put in a good performance last week and we can't take the foot of the throat now. You've got to just keep grinding away and trying to get better and keep improving on the things you did wrong last week. At the end of the day we've got to go out there and give it a full 80."