ULSTER V DRAGONS (Tomorrow KO 7.05)

STEVE Jones is more than happy to be a hooking mentor but he isn’t prepared to give up the number 2 jersey just yet.

The 34-year-old returns for tomorrow’s RaboDirect Pro12 encounter with Ulster after a three-week break.

He sat out the Amlin Challenge Cup romp against Italian whipping boys Cavalieri Prato and LV= Cup encounter with the Ospreys when the young pair of Rhys Buckley and Sam Parry given run outs.

The retirement of Tom Willis and injury to Lloyd Burns means that a heavy burden rests on Jones’ shoulders both on the pitch and the training paddock.

But while he is happy to help out the young whippersnappers with the odd tip or two, the hooker insists there is plenty of life in him yet.

He said: “It’s my ninth season with the Dragons but nothing has changed – I still want to play every minute of every game.

“But I realise that helping the younger hookers out is part of my job and I try to help them along and share my experience, though I don’t want to help them too much!

“I remember when I first started at Neath and Mefin Davies was there. He was brilliant to me and I will never forget that.

“Hopefully I can do a similar job, in fact he’s still playing for the Ospreys (at the age of 39) so I still have five or ten years left in me yet!”

Jones’ experience will be vital in the intimidating atmosphere of Ravenhill against an Ulster side that sit sixth but within a win of a playoff spot.

And the hooker insists he will relish the pearls of wisdom that come his way as he lines up on touchline to throw into the lineout.

“The atmosphere at Ravenhill makes it a great place to play rugby,” he said.

“People say it’s intimidating but it’s enjoyable to play there… well, I’m saying that now!

“We’ve done pretty well in Belfast, we should have won last year (when edged out by Ruan Pienaar’s last-gasp drop goal) and drew the year before.

“Ulster are missing a few Ireland players but still have an impressive side and are playing some great stuff.

“We need to try and impose our game on them, try to stop the crowd being a big influence and be positive because we need to start getting points on the board.

“At the moment we are down near the bottom of the table and no-one likes being there. We need to work our way up.”