BACK Newport Gwent Dragons for the double, urges demoted Wales number eight Michael Owen who will lead the Dragons against Magners League champions Ulster at Ravenhill on Friday night.

The Dragons have jumped over Llanelli Scarlets - who are in Glasgow on Friday - into sixth place in the league table with games in hand on most of the teams above them, and they have swept into the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup.

They topped their group after beating then Guinness Premiership leaders Bristol and winning in France for the first time against Bayonne to earn themselves a home tie against Brive in the last eight.

"We've won four games in a row now and a good run breeds a lot of confidence. Ravenhill is a tough place to go and it'll be a hard game, we've had some really good battles there," said Owen.

"They've got a strong pack and good backs and there's always a lot of passion over there. They take it to you and you've got to beat them at their own game.

"But we haven't played for a few weeks and the boys are chomping at the bit, we've had good conditioning over the past two weeks.

"If we keep playing like we did against Borders we've got an outside chance of winning the league and we've got a good chance of winning the European competition."

Owen says he found it a horrible' experience watching the Wales game at Murrayfield and, while he doesn't expect to be recalled for the Six Nations, he is desperate to make the summer tour to Australia and the World Cup.

"It was a bit unusual not to be involved as I've been for the last three or four years, it was horrible watching the game against Scotland, but when you take a step back you realise how intense it is," he said.

"I've been there and it's not nice having a day like that, but the boys are more than capable of bouncing back in Paris. I'd love to be there, but Gareth (Jenkins) will stick with the same squad.

"They've got to stick together, you can't chop and change, you've just got to back them. It's a wonderful stadium and I'm sure they can win over there.

"But I want to get on the summer tour and I desperately want to go to the World Cup.

"I feel like I've been playing well, but it was a management decision and I've got to live with it. I've done well in the past and I hope to again in the future.

"Scotland was just one of those things. It wasn't through lack of effort. The boys defended bravely, they just didn't get their attack going with limited ball."

Dragons coach Paul Turner, who celebrated his 45th birthday yesterday says it's up to Owen to play himself back in for Wales.

"Gareth can only pick so many and only the guys on form can be chosen," he said.

"It's down to Michael, but he's one of the better players in his position in the UK."

* The Dragons will be without Wales Under-20 captain Ashley Smith against Ulster because of a recurrence of his shoulder injury.

Turner has called in Academy player Phil Dolman of Bedwas who looked promising in a brief appearance against Borders.

Turner will either throw Dolman straight in, something he has not been afraid to do with young talent, or play Ceri Sweeney at inside centre with Mike Hercus at outside half and Aled Thomas at full back.

Injury victims like Lee Harrison and Joe Bearman could ease their way back in the inaugural A team fixture against Ospreys A at Bridgend a week Friday.