MAGNERS LEAGUE - OSPREYS v EDINBURGH
Venue: Liberty Stadium Date: Sunday, 4 October Kick-off: 1600 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC TWO Wales & online, updates on BBC Sport website
 Humphreys and Holley are part of the Ospreys coaching set-up |
The Ospreys insist their slow start to the season is because they have been forced to "denationalise" their international superstars. The star-studded Welsh region have had to wait and gradually integrate their seven Lions players into the team after their gruelling tour to South Africa. And forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys believes his Ospreys are a victim of their own success. He said: "We always felt we'd start the season slower than everyone expected." The Ospreys enjoyed the largest Lions contingent of any British team on the summer tour to South Africa as Mike Phillips, Alun Wyn Jones, Shane Williams, Lee Byrne, Adam Jones, James Hook and Tommy Bowe were picked by Ian McGeechan. Only Irish powers Munster received more calls in the initial draft. Ospreys captain Ryan Jones, meanwhile, led Wales' tour to North America alongside eight regional team-mates before a late call to the Lions squad, although Jones quickly returned from South Africa injured. The international-class squad at the command of Ospreys director of rugby Scott Johnson means that expectation is always high around the team, who are often referred to as European rugby's 'galacticos'. So two uninspiring home defeats - alongside two away victories - shocked their expectant supporters. But Humphreys pointed out: "We were in quite a difficult position as we've got a lot of international players coming back to us at different times. "So it does take a while to denationalise those players to a certain degree and get them back playing in the Ospreys way of thinking.  | We do have seven Lions in our squad but we all know they are undercooked Ospreys forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys |
"And it has perhaps been a bit more difficult because we have changed quite a bit of what we're doing over the summer." The high-profile arrival of Johnson, the former Wales and Australia attack coach, has further added to the anticipation around the Liberty Stadium. But Humphreys is at pains to state that due to their high-quality playing squad, there are huge international demands on the Ospreys stars. "There is no question about their mindset," he said. "But it's trying to get them to play a different style of rugby than they have been playing for large periods of time. "So when players come back to us it takes them a while to just think of our cause rather than that of their national team - and that is what we've had to deal with. "Of course, we understand the frustrations of our fans but people's expectations and reality are two different things. "We do have seven Lions in our squad but we all know they are undercooked. "And it will take them a few games to get up to the level of where we expect them to play and the level they're used to playing. "So we have to take a hit to get those boys up and running - and we know they're not at the stage where we would like them to be but they have to play to get to it. "One of our goals this season is to get consistency after big international campaigns as we generally have form going into them. "It is how we manage things after those campaigns and maintain a consistent performance when the players return to us. | 606: DEBATE |
"It is a difficult act to juggle but hopefully we are trying to make a style that is ours and make it easier for our boys to come back and adjust quickly." Edinburgh are the early-season leaders of the Magners League and the Scottish side have won on their last two visits to the Liberty Stadium, so the Ospreys will be wary of their threat. But Humphreys wants an impressive Ospreys performance with their opening Heineken Cup clash on the horizon. The Ospreys face English champions and two-times European conquerors Leicester on Sunday week and Humphreys wants to visit Welford Road on the back of successive wins. "It is important we go into that that game as good as we can be in terms of form," Humpreys told BBC Sport. "It will be an intense game in front of a hugely passionate crowd and playing Leicester is sometimes more difficult than playing international rugby. "It is a difficult and intimidating place to play but is why these boys play rugby."
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