OSPREYS: Seven tries in Tbilisi as Ospreys beat Black Lion 39-14 for a bonus-point win

The Ospreys opened their European campaign with a seven-try, bonus-point win, beating Black Lion 39-14 in Tbilisi.

Mark Jones made 14 changes for the trip to Georgia, and his new-look side were never in danger.

Black Lion have beaten the Scarlets, Vannes and Montauban in the Challenge Cup, but there was never any sign of another upset.

Back-row trio all on the scoresheet

All three of the Ospreys back row scored in the first half. Openside Gwilym Evans went over from a well-worked line-out move, and number eight Morgan Morse powered over from a five-metre scrum.

Both tries came inside the first 12 minutes, and neither was converted.

Black Lion hit back in the 20th minute, when scrum-half Giorgi Spanderashvili slipped through a string of tackles to score.

Blindside Huw Sutton soon restored control with a try from close range.

Wing Luke Morgan then took advantage when a messy Ospreys line-out broke kindly, finishing off Lalakai Foketi’s offload to make it 22-7 at half-time.

Luke Morgan’s double and tries for the front row

Morgan got his second soon after the restart, with an acrobatic finish down the left.

Reuben Morgan-Williams, starting at scrum-half with Kieran Hardy out injured, then fired a pass wide for hooker Lewis Lloyd to score on the other wing.

Captain Owen Watkin broke the line and Lloyd was hauled down just short, before replacement prop Kian Hire went over from a yard out.

Replacement Harri Wilde thought he had added an eighth try, but the TMO ruled it out for offside.

The hosts had the last word, with replacement back-rower Otar Giorgadze scoring from a driving line-out.

Lawson Creighton’s off day with the boot

The margin could have been bigger. Lawson Creighton had a tough afternoon off the tee, and the Ospreys converted only two of their seven tries.

Black Lion’s scrum was a handful all afternoon, but they offered little else.

Home at last, with Harlequins next in Europe

After starting the season with trips to Durban, Johannesburg, Newport and Tbilisi, the Ospreys finally have home games to look forward to.

The Dragons visit on 24 October in the United Rugby Championship, for the Ospreys’ first game at the rebuilt St Helen’s.

Next up in the Challenge Cup, Harlequins visit in December, before a trip to Toulon and a home game against Vannes in January.

Black Lion v Ospreys: the Ospreys team

Ospreys: 1. Steffan Thomas, 2. Lewis Lloyd, 3. Ben Warren, 4. Lewis Jones, 5. Ryan Smith, 6. Huw Sutton, 7. Gwilym Evans, 8. Morgan Morse, 9. Reuben Morgan-Williams, 10. Lawson Creighton, 11. Iestyn Hopkins, 12. Lalakai Foketi, 13. Owen Watkin (capt), 14. Luke Morgan, 15. Lewis Edwards.

Replacements: 16. Efan Daniel, 17. Cameron Jones, 18. Kian Hire, 19. Ben Roberts, 20. Morgan Morris, 21. Luke Davies, 22. Harri Wilde, 23. Evardi Boshoff.