OSPREYS: ‘Under no illusions’: Kelly wary of Black Lion’s huge pack before Tbilisi trip

The Ospreys are travelling to Georgia to win, but first team coach Richard Kelly says they are “under no illusions whatsoever” about Black Lion.

The Ospreys open their Challenge Cup campaign at the Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi on Saturday (1pm).

“We’re going there to get the win, and we’re also under no illusions whatsoever about Black Lion,” Kelly said.

“We’ve seen them get victories over Montauban and Scarlets in recent years, we’ve looked at their form and they’re a good team. It’s going to be a really interesting challenge and test.”

‘A huge set-piece’: the Black Lion threat

Kelly expects the game to be won and lost up front.

“The way Black Lion are, they’ve got a huge set-piece on their scrum, their driving line-out. They’ve got some very experienced coaches,” he said.

“From watching them, that forward pack challenge is going to be huge. We’re really looking forward to that contest, and how the game develops.”

Head coach Mark Jones has already said his side will look different to the one that won the derby, and the Ospreys will be without Kieran Hardy, who needs knee surgery.

Upping the tempo under Mark Jones

Kelly said the Ospreys will still try to play at pace in Tbilisi.

“I think Mark’s been big on that in the last 18 months, not just Black Lion, but generally around increasing the tempo and how we play around the field,” he said. “Fingers crossed, you’ll see a little bit of that again on the weekend.”

The weather should not be a factor. “We’re not expecting a heatwave or a freezing cold condition, so that should be ok.”

Off the mark at Rodney Parade

The Ospreys go to Georgia on the back of their 38-31 win over the Dragons, their first of the season after two defeats in South Africa.

“Rodney Parade is a tough place to go at the best of times, and as Ospreys, we’ve been up there a few times where we think we’ve been in positions to win games and come away with nothing,” Kelly said.

“To get the win, it was a great feeling. You could see how much it meant to them on the field at the end of the game.”

‘A special competition for us’

Kelly said Europe still means a lot to the region, pointing to the Champions Cup win over Leicester at Welford Road in 2023.

“It’s a special competition for us. It’s one the boys love. We get to play in some great places, get some fantastic teams and really challenge ourselves,” he said.

He also sees the trip as a chance for a squad still getting to know each other. The Ospreys have spent two of the last four weeks in South Africa.

“The boys are just looking forward to experiencing a different country, buying into the culture, learning a bit around their history and most importantly, getting on the field and ripping in against a very challenging Black Lion team.”