Dewi Lake to lead Gloucester as Welsh duo start new chapter

Dewi Lake will captain Gloucester this season, with Jac Morgan serving as one of his deputies. The Wales pair are preparing to make their Premiership debuts, in England's top flight, against Exeter BBC Sport.

The switch was settled last December. Lake and Morgan announced they would leave Ospreys, the Welsh regional side, to join Gloucester for the 2026-27 season. They spoke to BBC Sport Wales at Kingsholm, Gloucester's home ground, about the move south.

Lake, 27, is a hooker. He anchors the front row of the scrum and throws the ball in at the lineout. Morgan, 26, is a flanker, a back-row forward whose work centres on tackling and chasing the ball at the ruck, the contest on the ground after a tackle. Eight months separate them in age.

Their leadership bond is not new. Former Wales coach Warren Gatland named them joint co-captains for the 2023 World Cup. That shared job made them familiar faces to anyone who followed Wales in France.

Wales turned to Lake again this summer. He was named captain for the summer internationals ahead of Morgan, even though Morgan was fit-again at the time BBC Sport. The call kept the armband with the front-rower while his close friend was available.

They did not arrive alone. Gloucester's squad already included Welsh players Max Llewellyn, Freddie Thomas, Josh Hathaway and Deian Gwynne. That gives Lake and Morgan familiar voices in a new dressing room.

For supporters, this means continuity. Gloucester get a captain and deputy who already know how to share the load. Exeter first up is a hard start. It will test that partnership straight away.