Late tries from lock Cory Hill and wing Ross Wardle capped a courageous comeback against the Scots in Newport as Lyn Jones and co grabbed a first league win of 2014. The 24-23 success cut the gap on the sixth-placed Scarlets to just four points and moved the seventh-placed Dragons five points clear of Cardiff Blues in ninth.
Glasgow arrived in Wales with an unbeaten away record in the RaboDirect PRO12 but the Dragons face an even tougher test this time out in Belfast. Ulster haven’t lost at Ravenhill since Glasgow triumphed there in Round 2 and they were only beaten at the stadium once across the entirety of the last league campaign.
The Dragons were convincingly dismissed 31-5 in Northern Ireland in April, a season after they were downed 30-12 at the same venue. Their three previous results at Ravenhill point to a much more promising potential outcome on Friday, though, with a two-point defeat in 2011 preceded by a 22-22 draw in 2010 and a brilliant 16-14 success at the start of the 2008/09 season.
And there is more positivity to be found in the most recent meeting between the two teams when the Dragons kicked off the new season with a surprise 15-8 win over last term’s beaten finalists in Jones’ first competitive game in charge. Jason Tovey marked his return to the region with four penalties and a drop goal that evening as a first-half try from Roger Wilson proved to be in vain for Mark Anscombe’s men.
A similar result this time around could see the Dragons move above the Scarlets, who entertain Munster in Llanelli on Saturday, but defeat could easily mean they are pegged back by the Blues given that the capital-based outfit take on Zebre in Parma.
New signing Bruce Douglas will make his first start for the Dragons after an impressive debut from the bench against Glasgow. The former Scotland prop is named at tighthead, with fellow veteran front rower Duncan Bell selected among the replacements.
The Dragons coaching staff make a total of four changes to the side that saw off the Warriors, with Steffan Jones replacing Tovey at No10 and Wardle taking over from Will Harries on the left wing. Matthew Screech comes into the second row in the absence of Wales international Andrew Coombs, who is struggling with a shoulder problem, and Douglas gets the nod over Bell.
Former Ospreys wing Tommy Bowe makes his first appearance since November as he returns to the Ulster line up following a leg injury, while Ireland fly-half Paddy Jackson starts at fly half following his release from the national squad. There is no place in the Ulster matchday 23 for powerhouse No8 Nick Williams, though, after the province began an investigation into the New Zealander’s ‘alleged unauthorised absence’ last week.
