CELTIC LEAGUE Dragons v Ulster, Rodney Parade, 7.05: Rested after a three-week break, and buoyed by the return of their international contingent, Ulster face a relatively daunting trek to Rodney Parade on the back of their most consistent spell of form this season.
Although four wins at home in all competitions have been set against three away defeats, the latter two in the Celtic League were by a point against Leinster and the table-topping Ospreys. Their defence has palpably improved, conceding only three tries in their last five outings.
Currently just outside of the top eight qualifiers for the Celtic Cup which they won last season, more importantly Ulster stand just two points above Cardiff and were Connacht to win the Challenge Cup, Mark McCall's team would then need to finish above the Welsh outfit if they are to earn that play-off route into next season's European Cup against the third-ranked Italians.
"In my mind, I'm not looking into all the possibilities yet," said McCall. "All I know is we're not where we want to be in the table. It's a peculiar league, everybody seems capable of beating anybody lately and it's very tight in the middle section of the table. We're eight points behind the Dragons but you never know, if any mid-table team went on a run they could be fighting for a top four place."
The Dragons suffered their heaviest defeat in the competition last time out when an under-strength team conceded a half-century away to a near full-strength Leinster, but they'll take comfort in a return to Rodney Parade, where they have been beaten only once in 17 previous Celtic League matches.
Although still without Michael Owen, Ceri Sweeney, the league's leading try scorer Kevin Morgan, Gareth Cooper, Ian Gough and Hal Luscombe, the Dragons do welcome back Welsh internationals Steve Jones and Luke Charteris. They are also waiting on the fitness of scrum half Gareth Baber and should he not pass a fitness test Newport's James Ireland will play.
Last season's four clashes between the sides in this competition and in Europe all went the way of the home sides, although that trend was bucked in October when Ulster imploded in conceding a bonus point win to the Dragons. Ulster look a different outfit nowadays, and the Dragons won't be the force they were then either.
THE DRAGONS: P Montgomery; G Wyatt, N Brew, S Winn, B Breeze; C Warlow, G Baber/J Ireland; R Snow, S Jones, C Anthony, L Charteris, P Sidoli, J Ringer, J Forster (capt), R Oakley. Replacements: J Richards, A Black, R Thomas, M Veater, C Trayhern, S Tuipulotu, J Bryant.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, P Steinmetz, K Maggs, T Howe; D Humphreys, K Campbell; S Best, R Best, R Moore, G Longwell, M McCullough, C Feather (capt), N Best, R Wilson. Replacements: P Shields, R McCormack, R Frost, G Pfister, (and from) R Spee, A Larkin, S Young, S Stewart.
Referee: Andy Ireland (Scotland).
Previous meetings: (03-04) (CL) Ulster 37 Dragons 18; (EC) Dragons 24 Ulster 15; (EC) Ulster 22 Dragons 0; (CL) Dragons 27 Ulster 19. (04-05) (CL) Ulster 21 Dragons 28.
Celtic League formguide: Dragons - L W L W L. Ulster - L W L W L.
Leading try scorers: Dragons - Kevin Morgan 9. Ulster - Tommy Bowe 6, Andy Maxwell 4. Leading points scorers: Dragons - Ceri Sweeney 101. Ulster - David Humphreys 72.
Forecast: Dragons to win.
