Much-changed Ospreys swat aside Black Lion

Press Association Sport

Ospreys avoided Challenge Cup embarrassment as they coasted to a 39-14 win over Georgian side Black Lion in Tbilisi.

Mark Jones handed six players their first starts of the season and they responded by running in seven tries to claim a bonus-point victory.

Gwilym Evans, Morgan Morse, Huw Sutton and Luke Morgan all crossed in the first half for Jones’ much-changed side.

Morgan, Lewis Lloyd and Kian Hire added to the Welsh side’s tally in the second half but Lawson Creighton managed just four points with the boot.

Black Lion have previously scored upset wins in Europe and had a flicker of hope when Giorgi Spanderashvili landed a 20th-minute response to the early efforts from Evans and Morse.

But Ospreys pulled away and will now relish consecutive home games against Dragons and Cardiff after a marathon start to the season that also saw them play two United Rugby Championship matches in South Africa.

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