Ulster v Cardiff BluesKIWI FULLBACK Jared Payne will make his Ulster debut in place of Adam D'Arcy who drops to the bench. The back line is otherwise unchanged from last week. Up front Declan Fitzpatrick is named at loosehead prop with Andi Kyriacou and Jerry Cronin completing the frontrow.

Lewis Stevenson comes in to partner Dan Tuohy in the secondrow, while in the backrow Robbie Diack is named at number eight forcing Chris Henry to the openside.

With Cardiff coming out of the blocks fast with two bonus-point wins in the opening two rounds, this is expected to be Ulster’s toughest test yet, although, Brian McLaughlin’s team has won all eight of their home games in 2011.

The Blues have made four changes to the team that won 33-18 against Treviso last Sunday. In the backs Casey Laulala returns to centre with Dafydd Hewitt moving to the bench. Ceri Sweeney returns to outhalf. In the forwards, Xavier Rush returns in place of Andries Pretorius who picked up a bump on the knee against Treviso, while Paul Tito returns and leads the team from the secondrow.

But it’s the backrow where Ulster could have most trouble with Rush, Martyn Williams and Maama Molitika forming a formidable unit. Then last time the teams met in Belfast was in February when Ulster won 32-13.

ULSTER: Payne; C Gilroy, D Cave, N Spence, I Whitten; I Humphreys, P Marshall; D Fitzpatrick, A Kyriacou, J Cronin, L Stevenson, D Tuohy, P Wannenburg, C Henry, R Diack; Replacements: N Brady, P McAllister, A Macklin, N McComb, M McComish, I Porter, P Jackson, A D'Arcy.

CARDIFF BLUES: C Czekai; A Cuthbert, C Laulaloa, G Evans, T James; C Sweeney, L Jones; S Hobbs, T Rhys Thomas, S Andrews, M Paterson, P Tito (c), M Molitika, M Williams, X Rush. Replacements: R Williams, N Trevett, J Monck, J Down, T Young, R Rees, R Patchell, D Hewitt.

Referee: J Jones (Wales).

Verdict: Ulster.