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Dewi Lake has got the captaincy vote for Wales’ summer Tests, but insists he and Jac Morgan “come as a pair”.
Head coach Steve Tandy has chosen Lake to lead Wales for Saturday’s non-capped opener against Barbarians at the Allianz Stadium, as well the serious stuff of three Nations Championship matches against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa.
Lake wore the armband in the 2026 Six Nations after British and Irish Lions flanker Morgan skippered Wales in the first game of the Tandy era against Argentina but dislocated his left shoulder when scoring a try.
The Gloucester-bound former Ospreys team-mates previously co-captained Wales at the 2023 World Cup under former boss Warren Gatland.
Lake said of the captaincy: “It is a massive honour, but you never expect anything.
“Jac’s an incredible leader, he’s been unlucky with injury otherwise he’d still be in this role.
“Either way it (captaincy) went, the other one was always going to be full of support for the other. That’s how we work. It’s the two of us together.
“I know he’ll support me in any way he can and there’ll be times where I lean on him a lot. It would have been exactly the same if the decision was the other way.
“We come as a pair quite a lot. I know Jac will be in my corner and he will be there whenever I need him.”
Wales head towards the inaugural Nations Championship buoyed by ending a three-year wait for a Six Nations win.
Victory over Italy in March came on the back of resilient displays against Scotland and Ireland, offering evidence Wales are heading in the right direction under Tandy.
Lake said: “We’ve spoken a lot about picking up from where we’ve left off.
“It’s a new competition and we’re expecting everyone to bring their best.
“Fiji at Cardiff City Stadium is going to be class, and Argentina and South Africa gives us chances to play against teams we met in the Autumn Nations and see how far we’ve come on.”
Before that Fiji clash on 4 July, which is officially an away game for Wales, Tandy’s side head to London for a reunion with retiring great George North.
The centre or wing helped Wales win four Six Nations titles and two Grand Slams before calling time on his international career in 2024, having won 121 caps and scored 47 tries.
“It’s nice, but not nice, to go up against George,” said Lake, who played with North for Ospreys and Wales.
“He’s been an incredible operator for Wales. He taught me so much on and off the field and it’s an amazing way to send him off.”
PA
