Ben Rose’s men go in to the competition on the back of a win in their last match, a 12 try thriller against Newport at the Brewery Field and will be keen to replicate that success at Deramore Park.
The tournament has expanded to 32 teams for the 2012/13 season after hosting 24 sides for the three seasons since its inauguration in 2009/10. A Welsh side has yet to lift the trophy, with Cross Keys coming closest last season, losing 31-12 to Munster A in the final.
This will be Ulster’s fourth year in the B&I Cup, with their best result coming in the 2009/10 season when they lost 27-3 to Munster A in the semi-finals.
Bridgend Ravens have made a number of changes from the side that overpowered Newport 42-35 last weekend. With Matthew Dwyer and Matthew Morgan in the squad for the Ospreys’ Heineken Cup fixture against Treviso, Ross Jones returns from regional duty to start at fly-half.
Ashley Evans partners Nathan Edwards in the centre whilst full-back Jamie Murphy and wings Luke Morgan and Tom Grabham keep their places. Jon Thomas starts in the front-row ahead of Marc Thomas and Owain Lloyd is in for Josh Jacas in an otherwise unchanged pack.
After their clash with Ulster, Bridgend Ravens face tough tests against Cardiff and Bristol in Pool One.
Bridgend: 15 Jamie Murphy 14 Tom Grabham 13 Ashley Evans 12 Nathan Edwards 11 Luke Morgan 10 Ross Jones 9 Chris Williams, 1 Jonathan Thomas 2 Ashleigh James 3 Owen Williams 4 Owain Lloyd 5 Lee Davies 6 Jonathon Vaughan (c) 7 Arthur Ellis 8 Adam Hillier-Rees.
Replacements: Daniel Suter, Marc Thomas, Alun Evans, Scott Hicks, Andrew Waite, Kyle Barrett, Glen Lewis
