NEWPORT Gwent Dragons skipper Andrew Coombs has been released by Wales to feature against Ulster on Friday evening.

The 29-year-old lock has featured in all three Six Nations games so far, starting the defeat to Ireland in Dublin and coming off the bench against Italy and France at the Millennium Stadium.

He faces a battle to make the matchday squad for the round four clash with England at Twickenham a week on Sunday.

Alun Wyn Jones, who missed the fixture against Les Bleus because of a foot infection, is expected to be fit and Luke Charteris and Jake Ball performed well against the French.

Coombs, fresh from his 10-minute Test cameo, played the full 80 minutes of the Dragons’ impressive 24-23 win against Glasgow last Sunday and will aim to help his cause for inclusion by catching the eye against Pro12 title hopefuls Ulster at Ravenhill.

Seven other players have been released with the Ospreys getting the services of fly-half Dan Biggar, flanker Justin Tipuric and lock/back row James King for their trip to Edinburgh and hooker Emyr Phillips, prop Samson Lee, scrum-half Rhodri Williams and centre Jonathan Davies lining up for the Scarlets against Munster.