Ospreys and Wales Hooker Dewi Lake Aims to Bring Joy Back to Welsh Rugby
As the 2023/24 season has been a challenging one for Welsh rugby, with the national team finishing with the wooden spoon in the Six Nations and three of their regions struggling in the United Rugby Championship (URC), Ospreys and Wales hooker Dewi Lake is determined to play his part in turning things around.
Despite a difficult year marred by injuries, the 25-year-old is highly motivated to help put some joy back into the sport for the Welsh supporters. After returning to action in recent weeks, Lake is focused on helping the Ospreys, the only Welsh region still in contention for a top-eight URC finish, in their upcoming derby matches against the Dragons and Cardiff.
“It’s about giving something back to the people who support and watch,” Lake told the URC media team. “There are a lot of people who put a lot of time into Welsh rugby and want it to do well. I think there’s an onus on us as a country, whether it’s regional or international games, to give back to those people who pay to come to grounds and support.”
With the emergence of talented youngsters like Cam Winnett and Alex Mann during the Six Nations, Lake sees hope for the future of the Welsh national team. The experienced hooker, who has won 12 Test caps, is hoping to earn a recall to the Wales squad for their upcoming mid-year internationals against South Africa and Australia.
“Selection is not mine to make,” he said. “I have got to play well in this jersey first and earn the right to hopefully wear the Welsh jersey again. But it’s definitely a goal of mine to get back into the red jersey and hopefully be involved this summer.”
After battling a knee problem that impacted his World Cup involvement and a recent hamstring injury that ruled him out of the Six Nations, Lake is determined to regain his fitness and contribute to the Ospreys’ push for a top-eight finish in the highly competitive URC.
“It’s been a tough year injury-wise, it’s never nice to be injured, but it’s part and parcel of the game,” he said. “It’s about coming back fit and strong and getting back into the swing of things.”
With a focus on the upcoming Welsh derbies and the potential for international selection, Dewi Lake is ready to play his part in restoring some pride and joy to Welsh rugby after a challenging period.
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