NEWPORT Gwent Dragons are set to be without Wales lock Cory Hill and livewire wing Ashton Hewitt for Friday’s Guinness PRO12 clash with Ulster.

The Dragons are looking to end a seven-game losing streak when they welcome the title-chasing Irish province to Rodney Parade for their final Newport fixture of the season (kick-off 7.35pm).

However, they are likely to be without influential second row Hill through illness while the fixture has come too soon for speedster Hewitt, who is still recovering from concussion.

Hill has been with the Wales squad for the Six Nations and last played for the Dragons as a second-half replacement in the loss to Connacht in Galway on February 18.

The lock, who featured against Italy and England, has not trained this week so a return is unlikely against the Ulstermen with the management team having Rynard Landman, Matthew Screech, Nick Crosswell and James Thomas as their prime options in the second row.

Hewitt has been out of action since the New Year’s Day loss to the Ospreys because of concussion and was unable to join up with the Wales squad after being selected for the first time by head coach Rob Howley.

The uncapped winger has been back in training with his Dragons teammates this week but a return against Zebre in Parma on Saturday, April 8 looks more likely.

“Ashton has been out training this week and is there or thereabouts,” said forwards coach Ceri Jones.

“I am not sure he is going to quite make it this week – we will have to wait to hear what the medical guys say – but he has been out there training.

“With anything to do with concussion you have to be very careful, so I leave that to the medics.”

The Dragons were joined at their Ystrad Mynach training base by regional rivals Cardiff Blues yesterday with the packs slugging it out in a live scrummaging session.

“It was really helpful for them and us. We had a lot of personnel out there and three packs working, so hopefully that goes through to Friday,” said former prop Jones.

“It was extremely competitive. We didn’t do any lineouts, because they a bit more intricate and there’s a bit too much to show to each other (ahead of the derby on May 6), but to get the live scrummaging session was excellent.

“There were no punch-ups… which I don’t know if I was happy or sad about! But it was good and very constructive.”

The Dragons are currently 10th in the table and would climb a place if they win and Edinburgh lose in Llanelli on Friday.

Ulster have won their last five PRO12 games since suffering a loss at the Scarlets, their chief rivals for fourth spot, in January.

The Irish province have claimed 24 points from a possible 25 to overtake the west Walians and head to Newport looking to repeat last season’s 19-12 victory when home lock Rynard Landman was held up over the line at the death.

Ulster, who took the spoils 29-8 when the sides met in Belfast on the opening weekend of the season, have not won successive matches at Rodney Parade since 2006.