Blues go top of the Magners League on points difference but Young insists drastic improvement is needed ahead of their Heineken Cup campaign opener against Edinburgh next week.

“The major positive is that it was a win but I think we all realise that it wasn’t the performance we were looking for," said Young.

“It was our poorest of the year, but, if anything, maybe that’s good for next week.

“Certainly, it will make us keep our feet on the ground and give us a lot of determination to work on things for next week.

“I didn’t think we were ever going to lose against Connacht because they didn’t cause us many problems, but it goes without saying we are going to have to play better when Edinburgh come to us in the Heineken Cup.”

In Friday night's Magners League action, centre Tom Cheeseman will debut for Newport-Gwent Dragons at Benetton Treviso and Springbok Ruan Pienaar is set for his first Ulster appearance at scrum-half against Glasgow Warriors, as coach Sean Lineen keeps faith in the 15 who were defeated by Munster last week.

While on Saturday, Aironi host Edinburgh, who welcome back winger Simon Webster after a six-month absense due to an Achillies injury, and full-back Jim Thompson after summer knee surgery.

Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton returns for Leinster as they face league-leaders Munster in an all-Irish clash, and Wales hooker Richard Hibbard gets the nod for Scarlets as they travel to rivals Ospreys in a Welsh derby.