Dragons v Ulster: Fit again Billy Burns set for Ulster return

Billy Burns has been given the green light to return and will almost certainly start at outhalf against the Welsh region.

And although Ulster are awaiting word on if Irish scrumhalf John Cooney will be released, if he is, he would step in to the number 9 shirt.

Dave Shanahan and Pete Nelson started in last week’s halfback roles in the 54-7 win over Zebre in Belfast.

There may be the outside chance Irish lock Iain Henderson may be released as Joe Schmidt’s side have a fallow week in the Six Nations Championship ahead of facing France in Dublin on Sunday, March 10.

For Ulster Will Addison, Marcell Coetzee, Craig Gilroy and Michael Lowry all remain on the injury list - Burns is the only player released from the medical room.

Assistant coach Dwayne Peel said yesterday: “He (Billy) is back in the mix, so it is good to have him there.

“I think it was the right decision not to play him in the last couple of weeks because he has been suffering a bit with a calf injury.

“He is fully fit now and he has done some really great work to be fair. He trained really well today (Tuesday).”

The five match points secured in the eight-try mauling of Zebre last Saturday night saw Ulster move up to third place in Conference B and keeps them right in the play-off mix.

Trailing Benetton by two points, a game at the struggling Dragons will be seen as another opportunity to pick up maximum points and boost their play-off hopes further.

The Dragons shipped over 50 points in a loss away to Benetton last weekend, but Peel guarded against reading anything too much into that.

“Dragons home record is far, far superior to their away record and obviously that’s well documented,” added Peel.

“They’re a different proposition at home, and we felt that last year really. We went there quite confident but came away with a 32-32 draw and lucky to get that with the last play of the game.

“We’ve prepped well this week, given it our full focus and realise in the context of the league how important a game it is. I think with the conference being so tight, you can’t really afford many slip-ups and that’s the same for the top four or five places.

“We’re look forward to the game, we’ve prepped well and hopefully it’ll be a good performance from us,” he said.

With second placed Benetton playing fourth placed Edinburgh in Conference B and fifth placed Scarlets facing Conference A leaders, Munster, Ulster know they can ill afford to slip up during the run-in period to the end of the regular season fixtures.

Peel added: “In the context of the league and the fixtures this weekend, everyone in the squad knows what is at stake and are focused on that.”

Meanwhile, Peel described rumours that Leinster prop Jack McGrath is set for a switch to Ulster over the summer were merely speculation.

The British Lion has only started six games for Leinster this season following surgery on a hip injury in November.

It would be a huge coup for Ulster to see the experienced McGrath arrive, boosting their front row further having confirmed this week that South African Irish qualified Gareth Milasinovich would join from Worcester this summer.