“We’ve got a job to do“- Dewi Lake fully focused on beating Japan instead of outside interference in Welsh Rugby
Rugby NewsMonday, 30 June 2025 at 08:27
Wales’ skipper Dewi Lake has admitted that his side needs to ignore the brutal reality around Welsh Rugby as he is aiming to end a run of 17 Test matches without a win by beating Japan this summer.
Wales are being coached by interim head coach Matt Sherratt as the permanent successor of Warren Gatland has still yet to be found. Both Ospreys and Scarlets are in dispute with the Welsh Rugby Union with their future as regional clubs in Wales unknown.
However, Lake has stated that all on his mind is finally picking up a Test win since Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. They’ll meet Eddie Jones’ side who will come into the contest next Saturday in Kitakyushu on the back of a 53-20 defeat against the Māori All Blacks.
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“We’ve got a job to do on the back of a big losing run,” began Lake.
“If we’re thinking about all that is going on, we’re not 100% focused on the rugby and we’ve got to be. So we’re heads down and thinking about Japan.
“That’s what we’ve all been speaking about. We know what we’ve got to do in the summer.
“It’s going to be a tough test. All focus is on the here and now. We’ve got to do that in Japan and set things right.
Try Celebrations for Dewi Lake of Wales as he goes over for a try during the Qatar Airways Cup match between South Africa and Wales at Twickenham Stadium in London on 22 June 2024. Photo: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK
“If we don’t do a job, we might not be here for the next round of coaches.
“There’s no point in worrying or dwelling on that. It’s not our decision to make and we’ve got no say in the matter.
“We can just focus on the rugby and the task at hand, which is to win a Test match.”
After Jac Morgan was picked to tour Australia with the British and Irish Lions, Lake will return as captain after doing so last summer and autumn. On Morgan being selected for the Lions, Lake said: “I was just proud of him and happy for him.
“We came through together and have done a lot together.
“To see his name read out was amazing. I was on the flight in South Africa with him at the time when he found out and we all expressed how happy and proud we all were.”
There’s been a lot of discussion about the slippery and humid conditions expected for Wales when they are in Japan, with head coach Jones aiming to run them off their feet.
Wales instead of travelling to Turkey, for warm weather training like they’ve done in the past, they’ve been acclimatising themselves to the conditions expected in the Far East at their training camp at the Vale Resort, Hensol.
“We’ve heard rumours it’s going to be another level,” Lake added. With two mid-afternoon kickoffs the heat and humidity will no doubt be a major factor.
“We’ve done our heat work and trained hard to replicate the weather here.
“Sometimes you can overthink these things and a bit of doubt creeps in, you start to worry. We’re just focused on getting on the field.”
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