Dewi Lake honoured by Warren Gatland’s captaincy call for Twickenham trip

Dewi Lake was “stunned” when Warren Gatland asked him to captain Wales in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up clash against England.

But the Ospreys hooker now has a golden opportunity to showcase leadership credentials ahead of the tournament in France.

Flanker Jac Morgan filled the role with flying colours when Wales beat England 20-9 in Cardiff last weekend.

Lake, though, is also highly-rated as a possible World Cup skipper as he prepares to face England at Twickenham.

“I was on the physio bed, and he (Gatland) just came over and asked if I would like to captain the team,” Lake said.

“It was a bit awkward for me, probably because you are obviously stunned at first and I just said I would love to do it.

“Yes, there was a bit of silence where I think I just said the one word because I was so shocked.

“It is an honour for me to be able to do it, and I am privileged that he asked me to lead the boys out this weekend.”

Clubbing

Asked for his family’s reaction to the news, Lake added: “Well, my mother and sister were in Magaluf so I didn’t get a reply from them for a bit because they were out clubbing!

“Obviously, they are made up. They have obviously put a lot of effort in for me as well, driving at 6am to get you to under-18s or under-16s training.

“It is as much my achievement as it is theirs. They are the people who have put the time into me, obviously along with coaches.”

Lake will captain a team showing 15 changes from the one Gatland fielded in the opening England encounter.

And with the clock ticking towards Gatland’s 33-player World Cup squad being announced in under a fortnight, it is a huge game for his tournament hopefuls.

“The game-plan is going to be relatively the same this week,” Lake said. “It is about fronting up, it is about matching them physically up-front.

“It is important to have a bit of an edge and to not take a backwards step. It’s also about standing up for yourself and not letting any kind of occasion or any person get the better of you.

“A lot of this game is mental isn’t it? There’s a lot of little things players will try to do, especially England. who like a whoop and a cheer with a turnover.

“Just that kind of mental thing which may get in your head, so I think it is important to stick together as a group, but obviously stand together as a group as well.”