"He's outstanding"- Steve Tandy has made the right call on Wales captain

Welsh rugby has gone through many times since the 2023 Rugby World Cup with a great deal of uncertainty, but ever since Lake was handed the captaincy, he has been engaging, honest, and insightful when speaking to the press.

That was also apparent after limping off in Wales’ Nations Championship match against Argentina, as he showed perfectly why he is captain material. Despite being in obvious discomfort as he was helped to his feet by physios, he made sure to thank referee Paul Williams and note who would take the captaincy for the rest of the contest, all whilst limping away.

That whole scenario just shows that Wales head coach Steve Tandy has made the right decision, despite Jac Morgan returning this summer. There is no need for debate surrounding Morgan’s abilities; he is one of the finest back-row players in world rugby and constantly has standout performances in a Welsh shirt.

He has made his return from injury perfectly and remains one of the first names on the teamsheet. But following missing out on the 2026 Six Nations, captaincy should not all of a sudden become a revolving door; that’s why Tandy made the right decision.

Lake, who is now a Gloucester Rugby player, has embraced the responsibilities of being Wales’ captain through a Six Nations campaign that had a bit of everything. His leadership through the defeats, the wins, and the off-field politics has been well managed.

Whether that be after a painful thrashing in Twickenham, a woeful outing against France, or on the back of positive performances against Scotland and Ireland, with the win against Italy being the easiest to deal with.

The 27-year-old has fronted up well to the media, accepts the facts laid out in front of him, but continues to move forward and remain optimistic. That’s what a captain should do, and Lake has done extremely well and should continue to captain this side for the foreseeable future.

Many thought that when Morgan was back fit, Tandy would revert to him being skipper, but he didn’t, and that decision has aged like a fine wine. When questioned on this very decision of selecting Lake over Morgan, Tandy previously admitted: “I don’t think it was a difficult (decision to make).

Sadly for Lake, his injury could not have come at a worse time; it’s a major blow for Tandy’s side. Experienced Dragons hooker Elliot Dee will fly out to South Africa as injury cover for the clash with the back-to-back world champions in Durban on Saturday.

This means that Morgan, when Lake has been replaced against the Barbarians, Fiji, and Argentina, has taken over the captaincy and will do so from the off at the weekend.

The decision to name Lake as captain for the inaugural Nations Championship summer campaign would not have pleased many, but these are the tough decisions that Tandy has had to make.

For a team desperate to continue building momentum, Lake should remain captain when back fit; that consistency could prove invaluable.