The lock forward has had two spells in Australia, a stint in England at Newcastle Falcons and was plying his trade in France until last October. The former Belfast Royal Academy lock was even set to travel to America to join Utah Warriors, but the move fell through. He has signed a contract with Ulster after a short trial period, and it is a case of opportunity knocks for the 26-year-old with Iain Henderson and Cormac Izuchukwu currently out injured. Dalton was speaking ahead of Ulster’s must-win clash with the Scarlets at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday, with Richie Murphy’s side currently a lowly 14th in the United Rugby Championship. “It has been a bit of a nomadic lifestyle the last few years from BRA to Malone then over to Newcastle, then from Newcastle to France, so it has been a lot of back and forth,” Dalton said. “I always wanted to travel around and I always wanted to experience it, so I am glad I did it when I had the opportunity to do it. “I think now is definitely the time to get settled here and push forward.” Dalton enjoyed the experience of playing in the southern hemisphere. “When I was in the Ulster academy, I took the opportunity to go over to Queensland to get a bit more game time,” he said. “I got a good 20-plus games there then I came back. In between seasons at Newcastle I only played about 10 games the first season I was there, so again I took the same opportunity with the same club – Bonds University on the Gold Coast – to get more gamed under the belt. “I missed the last block of pre-season both times but I wouldn’t change that or don’t regret it, it was amazing.” After starting the season in the Pro D2 with Soyaux Angoulême, Dalton made the decision to come home. “It was a bit of a ropey decision to leave France,” he added. “We were only six or seven games into that season; it wasn’t easy to make that decision to leave but I had to for personal reasons and look for opportunities elsewhere. France at that point just wasn’t for me. “I didn’t have anything coming back, I was just coming home and I was actually just going to go and live with my partner in England, and just train away until something came up. “I got the call to come back to Ulster for a trial period and that has now turned into staying to the end of the season and signing for next season, which is good. “It is tough coming in so late in the season expecting game time. I haven’t been expecting to play straight away, I have just been trying to work hard and try to make my way into the team. Lots of opportunities come around from injuries so I’ll just take the chance when it comes. “My focus between now and the end of the season is to go out and get my match fitness back. Other than the Queensland game it has been October since I played at a high level. “It is just about building that match fitness back up.” Dalton went into the Ulster academy from school and although he didn’t secure a contract, it was beneficial to his career. “Coming out of school going into the academy system there was no expectation of being the next big thing,” he said. "Personally, reflecting back on that time it was a really good environment, and it was nice playing with some of the boys back then and have that experience – Rory Best, Andrew Trimble, ‘Hendy’, who is still here now, Tommy Bowe and Paul Marshall; I was growing up and coming through in that era so I was learning a lot from them. “It is nice that some of those boys are still here now reconnecting and building those relationships up from when I was younger.”