The Ospreys reported back to Llandarcy Academy of Sport for the first day of pre-season training on Thursday, where they were met with the welcoming sight of Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Mark Bennett, who will spend the first two days putting the squad through a series of rigorous tests designed to fully assess their fitness levels.
Members of the Wales touring party who returned home earlier this week and the U20 players involved in the Junior World Championships in South Africa were absent as they enjoy their summer leave, allowing Bennett and his colleague Kevin Morgan to focus on the core group of players.
The tests undergone by the players have been specifically designed to test speed, agility and endurance, with a number of targets set for each individual player before they headed off on summer holidays to ensure they returned to training in the best possible condition.
Data from this week’s testing period will be used as the basis for individual training plans for each player as they build towards the opening weekend of the Ospreys RaboDirect PRO12 title defence at the start of September, ensuring the players are in peak physical condition for the big kick-off.