Overview

• Head coach Richie Murphy urges a return to strong home form at the Affidea Stadium for Friday's United Rugby Championship opener.
• Ulster emphasize defensive improvement and clearer attacking structures after last season's 14th-place finish and Champions Cup miss.
• New signing Juarno Augustus has trained fully in recent weeks and is in line to debut, with seven players unavailable through injury.
• Captain Iain Henderson says the squad is rejuvenated after a productive pre-season and believes younger players have grown into larger roles.
• Murphy cautions against underestimating the Dragons, who added 14 recruits and won pre-season games, as Ulster also await the post-autumn arrival of prop Angus Bell.