Premiership clubs to test the Ospreys

The Ospreys will go head-to-head with Principality Premiership opposition in training over the next month as they step-up their preparations for the new season.

The region’s four Premiership clubs, Aberavon, Bridgend, Neath and Swansea, will provide the opposition in a series of opposed training sessions that will help to get the players up to speed ahead of Worcester’s visit to the Liberty Stadium on Saturday 24th August (3.00pm KO).

The sessions will take place to coincide with the club’s midweek evening training sessions, and will see the four teams giving the Ospreys squad a series of tough and physical hit-outs.

Aberavon will provide the first opposition when they train at Llandarcy on Thursday 25th July, before the Ospreys then visit the Gnoll on Thursday 1st August where they will train with Neath.

A week later on the 8th Bridgend will welcome the Ospreys to the Riverside Hardware Brewery Field, before the final opposed training session is against Swansea at Llandarcy on Tuesday 13th August. The sessions will all take place behind closed doors.

Andy Lloyd, Rugby Operations Manager at the Ospreys, said that the opposed training sessions would provide a step-up in intensity as the new season gets closer:

“These four sessions are going to be really beneficial in terms of preparation for that first game against Worcester at the Liberty.

“The core group would have spent almost two months back in training by the time Aberavon come to Llandarcy, so it’ll be good to move up a gear. Going up against our Premiership clubs in opposed, full contact training sessions, will really help to sharpen up the players.

“There are other benefits as well. A number of our squad secured regional contracts on the back of impressive and consistent form in the Premiership, with the likes of Jamie Murphy, Matthew Dwyer and Sam Williams getting their first pro contracts with the Ospreys this summer alone. There will be other players with potential out there, and this gives them an opportunity to catch the eye of the coaches who will be watching closely.”