Dean Ryan: Dragons' consolation against Ulster could be key

The Warriors head to Principality Stadium with a four-point lead in the race to be fourth – a position that could well earn qualification for the premier European tournament.

European Professional Club Rugby bosses are yet to thrash out the format for next season's Champions Cup, which impacts if the Guinness PRO14 will provide six or eight teams.

Whoever finishes fourth will have to play the waiting game and that could be the Dragons if they manage to record a Scottish double in the capital against Glasgow this weekend and then Edinburgh.

They have kept within striking distance of the Warriors thanks to a late rally against Leinster at Rodney Parade and then two tries in the closing stages against Ulster.

13.03.21 - Dragons v Ulster - Guinness PRO14 - Dragons Head Coach Dean Ryan.

"It was a huge point and we will only know at the end how huge, the same as the Leinster one," said director of rugby Ryan.

"That was a game that I was really proud of because we could have fallen away when 14-0 wasn't a great representation of what the first half hour had looked like. For us to stay in that game and be as competitive as we were was really pleasing."

"We want to get back to the Champions Cup and it is still possible, so we have a lot riding on these next two games and we will then see what EPCR decide.

"We have two games left and let's see if we can replicate that level of intensity against a different challenge.

"Glasgow will play a lot wider and a lot faster, they won't be as direct. It will be a different challenge and that's why this group needs to keep learning about how to create intensity."

13.03.21 - Dragons v Ulster - Guinness PRO14 - Joe Davies of Dragons takes on Nick Timoney of Ulster and Michael Lowry of Ulster

The Dragons were steamrollered by Ulster in Belfast but more than held their own in the physical confrontations, with fit-again Ollie Griffiths leading the charge from the back row.

"That's a new level of intensity and physicality that we are playing at," said Ryan, who opted to pull Wales back rower Ross Moriarty out of the game when he complained of a tight leg after Friday's team run.

"We made some mistakes at that level and missed two or three moments when we have to be a bit more physical.

"But we are starting to compete against a very, very physical Ulster side and there are a lot of things to be positive about.

"I know that we didn't get the win that we would have wanted but we are getting closer to what is a stand-out three or four Irish province in terms of physicality and depth."