Paddy Jackson is back at out-half for Ulster. Source: Presseye/Darren Kidd/INPHO

ULSTER HAVE MADE nine changes in personnel from their New Year’s Eve defeat to Leinster for tomorrow night’s Guinness Pro12 meeting with Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets. [KO 7.35pm, BBC Sport NI].

Although the northern province are experiencing something of an injury crisis, director of rugby Les Kiss has been able to recall the likes of Rory Best, Iain Henderson, Paddy Jackson and Luke Marshall, as sixth-placed Ulster aim to close the four-point gap on their Welsh opponents, who currently lie in fourth place in the standings.

With Ruan Pienaar out injured, Jackson will start at out-half alongside Paul Marshall at scrum-half. Elsewhere in the back-line, Louis Ludik comes in at full-back for Charles Piutau, Ulster’s player of the month for December. Luke Marshall replaces Darren Cave at centre and Tommy Bowe makes way for Jacob Stockdale on the wing.

On either side of him in a new-look front row, hooker Rory Best will have Callum Black and Ross Kane, who gets his second senior start thanks to a string of injuries to Ulster’s other props. Iain Henderson returns at second row at the expense of Franco van der Merwe, while Chris Henry starts in the back row in place of the injured Roger Wilson.

Ulster:

15. Louis Ludik

14. Andrew Trimble (captain)

13. Luke Marshall

12. Stuart McCloskey

11. Jacob Stockdale

10. Paddy Jackson

9. Paul Marshall

1. Callum Black

2. Rory Best

3. Ross Kane

4. Kieran Treadwell

5. Iain Henderson

6. Clive Ross

7. Chris Henry

8. Sean Reidy

Replacements:

16. John Andrew

17. Andy Warwick

18. Jonny Simpson

19. Franco van der Merwe

20. Pete Browne

21. Dave Shanahan

22. Brett Herron

23. Tommy Bowe

Scarlets:

15. Johnny McNicholl

14. Liam Williams

13. Jonathan Davies

12. Hadleigh Parkes

11. Steff Evans

10. Dan Jones

9. Gareth Davies

1. Rob Evans

2. Ken Owens (captain)

3. Werner Kruger

4. Jake Ball

5. Tom Price

6. Lewis Rawlins

7. James Davies

8. John Barclay

Replacements:

16. Ryan Elias

17. Wyn Jones

18. Nicky Thomas

19. Joshua MacLeod

20. Will Boyde

21. Aled Davies

22. Aled Thomas

23. Steff Hughes