WHEN the going gets tough, the foreign legion tend to get going — and the Ospreys could do with their overseas contingent leading the way against Glasgow this evening.

Shorn of 22 players, either through injuries or Wales calls, the region are facing a searching examination of their strength in depth.

Luckily for them, they have genuine overseas quality in the shape of their All Black back- rowers Jerry Collins, Filo Tiatia and Marty Holah, plus Lions wing Tommy Bowe and Scotland international Nikki Walker.

And they will take the field against Glasgow at the Liberty Stadium with director of coaching Scott Johnson declaring that the Ospreys couldn't have wished for a better collections of imports.

''The New Zealand boys here have been exemplary, absolutely superb,'' said Johnson.

Exemplary

''You'd get no better players than the three we have here.

''And you add the European boys, Tommy and Nicky, and, again, they've been absolutely exemplary.''

The thing with Collins, Tiatia and Holah is that they know only one way of playing.

Whether the Ospreys were stretched or not, the three Kiwis would step on to the front line, a point Tiatia went out of his way to stress on being asked whether this was a stage in the season when the overseas contingent needed to earn their corn.

He told his questioner: ''Mate, I tell you: being part of this side, if you are not from the homeland, so to speak, there's always pressure, always expectations.

''You play for a certain team and you need to play at that level.

''Don't get me wrong: the foreigners who are here are under no illusions about how the Glasgow game is going to be.

''We are expected to play at a level but we try to play to that standard every time we pull on the Ospreys jersey.''

Tiatia, filling a player-coach role this season, is starting his first competitive game for close on six months.

At 38, he has been confined to the role of impact player but retains a serious hunger to do well. Last week against the Blues, he was on the field only 25 minutes but made five carries and four tackles.

Momentum

Tommy Bowe's final-minute try saw Tiatia involved three times, his tackle-busting charge early on giving the multi-phase move vital momentum.

And while the light is inexorably dying on his playing days, he intends savouring what is left. ''You are a long time retired, so you have to relish every minute as a player,'' he said.

''The things I really enjoy are talking to mates and savouring the camaraderie of a team sport. My aim as a player this season is to uphold my role within the team.

''Every opportunity I get to play I'm going to live it.''

Against Glasgow, Holah will be aiming to get to grips with the breakdown, an area where the Ospreys were wiped out by the Blues. But Tiatia stresses one man alone cannot win that battle.

''It's a team sport. Marty, Steve Tandy or whatever No. 7 can't win the match on his own.'' he added.

''Last week there were too many handling errors, partly due to technical reasons such as going into contact and not using footwork, a lot of things.

''We let ourselves down and we know we have to improve in that area.''

The former Wellington Hurricane believes his Kiwi buddy Collins is settling at the Ospreys after his move from Toulon. ''It takes time, but Jerry is getting there,'' said Tiatia.

''When I arrived it took me a while to understand the blitz system of defence and the players I was playing with, but eventually I settled.

''Jerry is enjoying it. I've worked with him since he's 18 and he's definitely a person you can trust on the field. The boys will enjoy his time on the paddock once he becomes comfortable with what he's doing.

"You'll find we'll get the best out of him here.''