THERE is no way we will underestimate Newport Gwent Dragons, says Ulster's South African coach Alan Solomons ahead of tomorrow night's Heineken Cup game at fortress Ravenhill.

The Northern Ireland province are virtually unbeatable on their own ground, and they put Leicester to the sword there nearly three weeks ago, winning 33-0 though they were hammered in the return a week later.

But Solomons well remembers how Ulster's Heineken hopes were dashed in the first game of the competition when the Dragons rocked them with a 24-15 victory at Rodney Parade.

Though two months down the road neither side can qualify for the knock-out stages, that doesn't affect Solomons' planning.

"It would have been nice to beat them, but they are a good side and they deserved to win," he said.

"They took their chances and they did very well in the set pieces whereas we didn't finish our opportunities. You can't just expect to win any Heineken Cup game, and we know Gwent will be very tough opposition, strong and competitive. We expect them to come out very determined."

Ulster went very close at Stade Francais last week, pipped 13-10 whereas the Dragons were crushed 37-0 there the week before, but Solomons refuses to read anything into those contrasting results.

"I thought we deserved a draw last week and we were unlucky, but one game doesn't reflect the next," he said.

"We have done well at Ravenhill in the last three years, but you play so many games there's got to be a dip and we had ours against Leicester."

Solomons says he can't understand how his name became linked with the vacant Wales coaching job, but he confirmed he had neither applied nor been approached by the Welsh Rugby Union.

Ulster show just one change from the side which started against Stade Francais last week, promising flanker Neil Best returning for Neil McMillan.

David Humphreys, with over 500 points in the competition for Ulster, remains their most potent threat.

Team: B Cunningham, J Topping, S Mallin, P Steinmetz, T Howe, D Humphreys, N Doak, R Kempson, P Shields, R Moore, G Longwell, M McCullough, A Ward (captain), R Wilson, N Best. Replacements: P Wallace, A Larkin, K Campbell, S Best, W Sexton, M Mustchin, W Brosnihan. Kick-off 7.45pm.