After a month's break from domestic action, Ulster welcome 11th-placed Benetton Treviso to Kingspan Stadium on Friday night - the first of five games against teams in the bottom half of the GUINNESS PRO12 table.
By contrast the current top four have testing fixtures in the same period, including head-to-heads between Ospreys and Leinster as well as Munster and Glasgow Warriors in round 16.
And Herring knows his team must capitalise.
"I think it's obviously a big period for us, these next four or five games," he told the Belfast Telegraph.
"A lot of the guys in the top four will be playing each other and we're playing teams who are maybe closer to the bottom.
"If we can win all our games in this block, then it's a good opportunity to catch up on some points and try to get top one or top two."
With regular No.2 Rory Best away on international duty, Herring is set to make only his second GUINNESS PRO12 start since November.
And the 24-year-old intends to remind coach Neil Doak of his capabilities during a rare extended run in the team.
"It's a good opportunity for guys like myself and others who maybe haven't had consistent game time this year. It's a chance to put our hands up and get a bit of form," he added.
"I just want to play some good rugby over the next four games. I know it's important that I do my job at the set-piece and do well at those basics if I'm going to be involved more."
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