SEAN Holley has told his players they must tune in to the referee's wavelength when the Ospreys face Benetton Treviso at the Liberty on Friday evening.

A misadventure on the Magners League's opening night of the season saw the champions become ever more frustrated with the decisions of Scottish official Peter Allan in the clash with Ulster in Belfast.

Allan put the tin hat on a fussy performance by sin-binning Nikki Walker for a fairly harmless-looking challenge.

The Ospreys finished with a penalty count of 13 stacked against them, a tally that ultimately proved decisive, but having looked at the match tape Holley will tell his players there is nothing to be gained from having a victim mentality.

"We simply have to adapt to refereeing interpretations," he said.

"Yes, as coaches and players we raised our eyebrows a few times at the way things unfolded in Ulster, particularly at the tackle area, but that is the way the official saw it and we can't afford to dwell on it.

"There are new directives which were always going to cause a few problems early on, but I'm sure things will settle down.

"If there are areas where we need to improve our discipline they will be highlighted in the review we will hold this week."

The Ospreys will check on Craig Mitchell's fitness after the prop pulled out of the 27-26 defeat at Ravenhill with a back spasm.

It meant Duncan Jones had to fly out late to join the squad and launch his comeback earlier than planned.

Jones, who hadn't played since December last year because of a foot injury, had been expected to ease his way back in the game with Treviso. Instead, he figured among the replacements in Belfast and took the field in the dying stages.

The front row proved an area of superiority for the region, with Ryan Bevington, Mefin Davies and Cai Griffiths gaining the upper hand on their opposite numbers, with replacements Jones, Paul James and Huw Bennett maintaining the advantage.

But the Ospreys could nonetheless have done without seeing Mitchell pick up an injury even before the season had started.

"I wouldn't have thought he'd be available this week," said Holley.

"But we'll see what the medical report says this week. I don't think it was that serious."

MARK ORDERS