Dewi Lake optimistic as Wales return to international action

Skipper Dewi Lake insists Wales have grown since making a disappointing start in the Nations Championship.

Wales return to the competition against on Saturday after starting the summer with a home win over Fiji and defeats in Argentina and South Africa.

A 43-0 defeat to the Springboks proved a particularly sobering exercise, but Lake believes Wales are ready to bounce back with Nations Championship showdowns gainst Japan, New Zealand and Australia in Cardiff ahead of finals weekend at the end of November.

“Personally, for me, this is the best start to a campaign we’ve had in a long time,” said hooker Lake.

“The level of competition and the way we are challenging each other on and off field, we’ve grown from campaign to campaign.

“We were disappointed with the summer, but if anything, that’s probably worked in our favour.

“We’ve come back in, grown, challenged each other and hopefully the game will reflect our training week.

“There has been an intensity in training also from the boys not picked to play. Everyone is hungry to play in the jersey and be part of this team.

“The tension it has created in training, and the way it rubs off on each other, the standards continue to rise. That has been a massive growth for us.”

Wales and Japan have been frequent opponents in recent times, with this being the fourth meeting between the two nations in 16 months.

Japan have lost the last two, but Wales needed a last-gasp Jarrod Evans penalty to prevail by one point in Cardiff 12 months ago.

Lake said: “Look, I’d be happy to win. The performance is important to us, but I don’t think the margin of winning really matters.

“I’m sure everybody is going to be hoping for a win and a lovely margin, but for us, it’s about building on performances.”

Wales won only three of their 12 games during Steve Tandy’s first year in charge.

But Lake, one of nine England-based players starting against Japan, has been thriving on the club scene since leaving Ospreys for Gloucester this summer.

Like many of his Wales teammates, the 27-year-old comes into the autumn programme buoyed by success at club level.

“Obviously, it does kind of make a little bit of difference (coming into camp) when you’ve got that feeling of winning,” said Lake.

“You come in understanding maybe what it takes to win a bit more. So, in terms of that aspect, it does help.

“But I think I get my confidence from the from the boys I’m playing with, from the the people behind me, the people in the changing rooms, the staff.

“You get your confidence from the training week on on how well you’ve prepared, and I think that doesn’t change whether you’re winning with club or not.”