Steve Tandy: Ospreys coach refuses to blame Wales absentees for Munster loss

Head coach Steve Tandy has refused to blame Ospreys' 33-0 defeat by Munster on the absence of the region's Welsh internationals.

Ospreys suffered their heaviest defeat of the season as Munster ran in five tries to move to the top of the table.

Tandy was without 12 players on Wales duty but refused to use it as an excuse.

"It's stretched our squad but ultimately we still expected a better performance than that," he said.

"We didn't speak about it last week when we beat the Dragons and we certainly won't be speaking about it this weekend,

Ospreys' loss in Munster was their third Pro12 defeat of the season

"That shirt certainly deserves a better performance than what we delivered."

Ospreys' Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, Bradley Davies, Dan Lydiate and Justin Tipuric will start for Wales against Australia on Saturday, while Nicky Smith, James King and Sam Davies are on the bench.

Ospreys are third in the table, two points behind leaders Munster, and resume their Pro12 campaign at Glasgow on Friday, 25 November.

Tandy says the break from Pro12 action - Ospreys have two games in the Anglo-Welsh Cup over the next two weeks - will give them the opportunity to regroup.

"In fairness to them they've battled and there's been a bucket full of positive performances," Tandy told BBC Wales' Scrum V.

"We're still sitting pretty good and obviously off the back five points.

"We're going to have to dust ourselves down but I think some of the boys will need a break.

"That two-week window will give us an opportunity to rest some guys and give some young guys rugby and then go back ready for Glasgow away."