Lake to Captain Wales in Summer Internationals
Dewi Lake has been appointed captain of the Wales rugby team for the upcoming summer internationals, ahead of flanker Jac Morgan, who has recently recovered from injury. Lake, who is transitioning from Ospreys to Gloucester in the English Premiership, previously led Wales in eight Tests during the 2025 autumn series and the 2026 Six Nations while Morgan was sidelined due to injury.
Jac Morgan, a British and Irish Lions flanker, captained Wales in the opening match of the Steve Tandy era against Argentina but suffered a dislocated left shoulder while scoring a try. Both Lake and Morgan, who will be playing for Gloucester after this summer, have been named in the squad for the summer internationals. The campaign begins with a match against the Barbarians at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham on Saturday, where Lake will serve as captain.
"It's always a massive honour to captain Wales," Lake said. "We have an incredible leadership group and are full of leaders - Dafydd Jenkins, Jac, Tomos Williams, Josh Adams - so it's not a job I will do alone."
Wales coach Steve Tandy is preparing the team for a demanding summer schedule that includes Tests against Fiji, Argentina, and South Africa in the Nations Championship. Morgan and Lake previously co-captained Wales at the 2023 World Cup under former coach Warren Gatland. Despite Morgan's injury, Tandy has chosen to retain Lake as the primary leader for the summer fixtures.
"Jac has led us incredibly and was unlucky with his injury or he would still be in this role," Lake commented. "We are lucky to have an incredible relationship on and off the field. Whichever way it went, the other was always going to be full of support. We have co-captained before. He has been captain and I have helped, I have been captain and he has helped."
Lake and Morgan 'Come as a Pair'
Both Lake and Morgan will move from Ospreys to Gloucester following their summer commitments with Wales. Although Lake holds the official captaincy, he emphasized that leadership will be a shared responsibility between the two closely connected forwards.
"That's how we work, it's the two of us together and I know that he will support me in any way he can," Lake said. "There will be times when I lean on him a lot and it would have been the same if the decision was the other way. We come as a pair and I know Jac will be in my corner and there whenever I need him."
Lake, Morgan, and Aaron Wainwright, a forward set to join Leicester Tigers, are available for the uncapped Barbarians fixture. However, 13 players currently contracted with English and French clubs are unavailable for this match as it falls outside World Rugby's international window.
Wales Men and Women Prepare for Barbarians Double-Header
The Wales men's team will kick off a double-header against the Barbarians at 14:00 BST, followed by the women's team at 17:00 BST. Sean Lynn's women's side are building towards the WXV Global Series, which will see them face South Africa and the USA in Cardiff in September, followed by two away Tests in Japan in October.
Wales women will be captained in London by Alex Callender, a key back-row forward who has recovered from an ankle injury that caused her to miss the Six Nations. Kate Williams began the campaign as captain before injury led to Bethan Lewis taking over the role.
"I'm really excited about the game and it's a massive honour to be captain and lead the girls out," Callender said.
