Newport Gwent Dragons scum-half Jonathan Evans admits he is being given a baptism of fire as the 20-year-old readies himself for a battle with Ruan Pienaar in the RaboDirect PRO12 who has been capped 60 times by South Africa.

The young Welshman who has played just 14 senior games went face to face with his countryman Mike Phillips in Europe last week and will have to bounce back quickly before lining up against Ulster’s experienced Springbok.

The Dragons have just one win in their last seven games while Ulster are off to a flyer and despite learning on the job, Evans has responded well to the responsibility placed on him at half-back.

And with a clash with Ulster on Friday evening following their defeat to Bayonne in the Amlin Challenge Cup the youngster is enjoying facing up against the best in the business.

“It’s great to go up against players like this, at the moment I am just trying to get experience as a regional player but they have got that as frequent internationals,” he told the South Wales Argus.

“Mike Phillips is number one in Wales and you have to challenge yourself against the best.

“I could go up against Pienaar, who is another big international nine but completely different to Phillips.

“With him it’s the speed of the ball. He plays a quick game and he is a threat around the base and has great vision.”

Ulster have set the pace early in the league with a 100% winning record in the competition so far and have won five of their last six fixtures with the Welsh regions.

And Dragons coach Darren Edwards accepts his side’s hosting of Ulster in the RaboDirect PRO12 is going to be a big step up from their European clash.

“It was a much better performance but if we think Bayonne are a big European team then they are nothing on Ulster,” he said.

“They are the form team at the moment. It's an even bigger challenge and we need an even bigger performance."

“It [the Bayonne game] shows that the performances are in us, we've got all the weapons and the frustrating thing is that the Pro12 table would look a lot better if we had played like that in a number of league fixtures.”

Ulster have made four changes for the game as Declan Fitzpatrick comes straight into the first XV after his knee injury and Paul Marshall, Craig Gilroy and Lewis Stevenson are also elevated.

And former Ulster Player of the Year Roger Wilson could make his first appearance for the club since returning from Northampton Saints as he is named on the bench.

At Rodney Parade, 7.05pm.

Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU, 42nd competition game)

Assistant Referees: Leighton Hodges, Neil Perkins (both WRU)

Citing Commissioner: Russell Howell (WRU)

TMO: Neil Ballard (WRU)

Live on BBC WALES AND BBC NI