Darren Cave to captain Ulster for the first time

The 27 year-old has played 154 times for Ulster and leads a team aiming to make it five wins in a row in the competition.

Samoa international, Mike Stanley, is named at inside centre and will start his first game for the province.

He is selected in place of the suspended Luke Marshall and is one of two changes to the side that beat Scarlets at Kingspan Stadium last weekend.

The other sees Ireland international back-row forward, Iain Henderson, picked at blindside flanker in place of Roger Wilson, who also misses the game because of suspension.

Hughes Insurance Ulster Academy and Ireland U20s back, Sam Arnold, is named among the replacements and will make his first senior appearance for the province if called upon.

In the forwards, Callum Black starts at loosehead, Rob Herring continues at hooker and Wiehahn Herbst is named at tighthead.

Ireland international, Dan Tuohy, partners Franco van der Merwe in the second row.

In the back-row, Henderson is joined by Nick Williams at Number 8 and Clive Ross, who continues at openside.

Ruan Pienaar, who is on 499 points in the PRO12, starts at scrumhalf and is partnered in the halfbacks by Ian Humphreys.

Stanley and Cave start in midfield, with Craig Gilroy, Louis Ludik and Michael Allen named in the back three.

Robbie Diack has recovered from injury and is named among the replacements. He is joined by fellow forwards John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Bronson Ross, and Lewis Stevenson.

Backs, Paul Marshall, Arnold and Rory Scholes complete the match-day squad.

Ulster team & replacements to play Dragons, Guinness PRO12, Kingspan Stadium, Sunday 8th March (16:00 kick off): (15-9): L Ludik; C Gilroy, D Cave (Captain), M Stanley, M Allen, I Humphreys, R Pienaar; (1-8): C Black, R Herring, W Herbst, D Tuohy, F Van der Merwe, I Henderson, C Ross, N Williams; Replacements (16-23): J Andrew, A Warwick, B Ross, L Stevenson, R Diack, P Marshall, S Arnold, R Scholes.