Celtic League/Ulster v Newport Gwent Dragons: The build-up to Ulster's eagerly awaited return to Friday night rugby at Ravenhill has been somewhat darkened by the news that Neil McMillan will miss the remainder of the season.
An arthroscopic examination has confirmed that the 22-year-old flanker has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will need corrective surgery.
Dogged by injuries last season, McMillan played for the Irish sevens during the summer and apparently sustained or aggravated the injury in a pre-season friendly against Harlequins almost two months ago, but the knee having been scanned twice, ongoing pain prompted further examination this week. It makes his attempts at a recovery since then all the more remarkable.
"After all his frustrations of last year it's desperate news, especially for a young player as dedicated as Neil," commented Ulster coach Mark McCall yesterday.
"First and foremost you feel sorry for the player himself. Your heart goes out to him. The bottom has fallen out of his world. But Denis Leamy has come back after the same injury and if anybody can dedicate himself to coming back better than ever, it's Neil."
McCall's back-row options are further limited by the torn bicep tendon suffered by Andy Ward a fortnight ago against the Ospreys, leaving him in a difficult race against time to be fit for Ulster's European Cup opener against Cardiff at home in a fortnight.
Accordingly, McCall has named two second-rows on the bench, although he points out that Matt Mustchin played a good chunk of his rugby at Canterbury on the blind side of the back row.
Ward's absence may in part explain the recall of Gary Longwell, to give a relatively young pack, which this season has been shorn of Robbie Kempson, Matt Sexton, Tony McWhirter and Warren Brosnihan, some badly needed experience.
The return of Paul Steinmetz and Tyrone Howe alongside Kevin Maggs and David Humphreys also gives the back line a grizzled look in a time of relative trouble for McCall's team.
Having lost to Leinster and the Ospreys at Ravenhill, Ulster are seeking to avert a third successive defeat there.
All their previous four games have been on Saturdays due to the demands of television, and that has been a less-than-agreeable proposition for team and supporters alike as somehow the tea-time kick-offs in daylight didn't carry the same ambience as the traditional Friday night slot in which Ulster had lost only two home games over the previous three years.
"As I've said before we were never using the Saturday thing as an excuse," states McCall. "But there is a buzz about the players about this game, and seemingly amongst the supporters as well about playing on a Friday night again. Whether they like the dark or not I don't know. Rugby players are like everybody else; they're creatures of comfort, and we're looking forward to it."
Ulster will need a feel-good factor at Ravenhill again, because were this played on a neutral venue there's little doubt that the Dragons would be warm favourites. Idle the first week, they were caught cold away to Cardiff in week two, but have since won three games on the bounce.
If anything, they are stronger than last week, when they captured a bonus point against Leinster, as they welcome back skipper Jason Forster after injury, with Michael Owen moving to the second row.
For Ulster, to reverse the trend of previous home games, you sense they'll have to go back to basics, or at least prove more precise at the basics than in their shoddy display against the Ospreys.
Already 16 points off the pace, Ulster can ill afford another misfiring night. To generate doubt in Dragons' minds they have to put their visitors on the back foot early on and, if they obtain a lead, not switch off for 10 or 15 minutes as has been their custom recently.
Strictly on form, there should only be one winner. But Ulster owe themselves a good 80 minutes at home, and with two weeks to stew on their Ospreys' performance, they're also due a reaction.
And then there's that Friday night, mental factor.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys (capt), K Campbell; S Best, P Shields, R Moore, G Longwell, M McCullough, C Feather, R Wilson, N Best. Replacements: N Brady, R McCormack, R Frost, M Mustchin, N Doak, P Wallace, J Bell.
DRAGONS: K Morgan; G Wyatt, P Montgomery, S Tuipulotu, N Brew; C Sweeney, G Cooper; R Snow, S Jones, R Thomas, I Gough, M Owen, J Ringer, R Bryan, J Forster (capt). Replacements: TBC.
Referee: M Changleng (Scotland).
Previous meetings: (03-04) CL: Ulster 37 The Dragons 18. EC: The Dragons 24 Ulster 15. EC: Ulster 22 The Dragons 0. CL: The Dragons 27 Ulster 19.
Formguide: Ulster 17-16 v Edinburgh (a); 15-26 v Leinster (h); 19-13 v Connacht (a); 24-37 v Ospreys (h); idle. Dragons Idle; 8-18 v Cardiff (a); 15-0 v Llanelli (h); 38-29 v Glasgow (a); 34-13 v Leinster (h).
Leading try scorers: Ulster - Andy Maxwell, Bryn Cunningham 2 each. Dragons - Gareth Wyatt 3, Gareth Cooper, Kevin Morgan 2 each.
Leading points scorers: Ulster - David Humphreys 18. Dragons - Ceri Sweeney 47.
Forecast: Dragons to win.
