The Dragons go off their feet under intense Ulster pressure and go off their feet to give away a penalty five metres out from their own line. Ulster call a scrum.

The home side are turning up the heat in attack now as they edge towards the Dragons 22.

However, they escape when Mike Lowry knocks on and the ball is cleared to safety.

Marcus Rea is pinged for a no-arms tackle on halfway. The Dragons go for touch.

The Dragons almost hit back immediately with a grubber kick of their own down the left flank, but Mike Lowry scoops up the ball smartly and it's cleared to safety.

Searching grubber kick through from Will Addison and Scrum-half Dane Blacker "knees" it into touch. Lineout for Ulster 10 metres out.

Knock-on from Ulster and first scrum of the night to the Dragons on halfway.

Will Reed of the Dragons gets us underway at the Kingspan.

Can Ulster get a win in their first game post Dan McFarland? Let's find out.

Dan Soper says Ulster's URC game against Dragons on Saturday will provide "a nice distraction" following the departure of former head coach Dan McFarland last week.

Assistant coach Soper has been put in charge for the Belfast encounter, before Ireland Under-20s coach Richie Murphy takes the helm in mid-March.

"I'm delighted that we've got a game to focus on," said Soper.

"Last week was a little bit different. Whatever change happens there's always a bit of disruption, but the one thing we have always prided ourselves on was how to adapt and overcome."

Read more from Soper here.

Image source, Getty Images

Ulster CEO Jonny Petrie says the province's inconsistent performances this season led to the departure of Dan McFarland, who left his role as head coach last week after almost six years.

McFarland's exit followed a run of three consecutive defeats for the team.

Assistant coach Dan Soper takes charge for this evening's game, with Ireland Under-20s coach Richie Murphy at the helm for the rest of the season.

"We ultimately felt we had to make a change in head coach," said Petrie.

"We got to that point over the course of the past couple of weeks where we thought it was the right thing to do. That's just the nature of the game, unfortunate as it is."

Read more of Petrie's thoughts here.

Image source, Getty Images

James Hume will captain Ulster as assistant coach Dan Soper makes seven changes.

With Iain Henderson injured, Hume skippers Ulster in the first game since head coach Dan McFarland's departure.

Ireland trio Tom Stewart, Tom O'Toole and Nick Timoney start for Ulster, but Jacob Stockdale is on the bench.

Mike Lowry, who missed Ulster's defeat at the Ospreys with an injury sustained in the warm-up, is preferred on the wing to Stockdale while second row Cormac Izuchukwu is handed his first start since November.

South Africa's two-time World Cup winner Steven Kitshoff returns to an all-changed front row with O'Toole and Stewart, while the half-back partnership of John Cooney and Billy Burns is restored having not featured against Ospreys.

Ulster: Will Addison; Ethan McIlroy, James Hume (capt), Jude Postlethwaite, Mike Lowry; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Steven Kitshoff, Tom Stewart, Tom O'Toole; Cormac Izuchukwu, Harry Sheridan; David McCann, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney.

Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Scott Wilson, Kieran Treadwell, Sean Reffell, Nathan Doak, Luke Marshall, Jacob Stockdale.

Image source, Getty Images

Wales international Taine Basham and new loan signing Harry Taylor start in the Dragons back row.

Basham has been released from Warren Gatland's Six Nations Wales squad, while new recruit Taylor is straight into match action as head coach Dai Flanagan makes seven changes to his starting side.

For the visitors, a new back line sees a recall for Will Reed to partner Dane Blacker with Angus O'Brien missing the game with an arm injury. Joe Westwood, Corey Baldwin, and Ewan Rosser make up a new back three.

Argentine prop Rodrigo Martinez is named up front while there is a return for countryman Gonzalo Bertranou among the replacements, while Wales Under-20s back Huw Anderson could make his senior debut from the bench.

Dragons have 14 players remain sidelined with injury, while five are away on senior international duty.

Dragons: Ewan Rosser; Joe Westwood, Steff Hughes (capt), Aneurin Owen, Corey Baldwin; Will Reed, Dane Blacker; Rodrigo Martinez, James Benjamin, Chris Coleman, Sean Lonsdale, Matthew Screech Dan Lydiate, Harry Taylor, Taine Basham.

Replacements: Brodie Coghlan, Aki Seiuli, Luke Yendle, Barny Langton-Cryer, George Nott, Gonzalo Bertranou, Harri Ackerman, Huw Anderson.

Image source, Getty Images

Good evening and welcome to our coverage of Ulster's United Rugby Championship game against Welsh side Dragons at the Kingspan Stadium.

It is Ulster's first game since the departure of head coach Dan McFarland, who left his role recently after almost six years in charge on the back of the province losing three games on the bounce and six of their last nine.

Assistant coach Dan Soper will take charge for tonight's game before Ireland U-20s coach Richie Murphy takes the reigns for the remainder of the campaign.

Soper will hope to try and steer Ulster, who currently sit in ninth in the URC table, to a morale boosting victory against a Dragons side that are languishing in 15th.

We will have live text commentary of the game and radio coverage on BBC Radio Ulster.

Thanks for joining us - enjoy!

Image source, Getty Images