‘Gritty and abrasive’ Dewi Lake completes his switch to the Gallagher PREM
Wales hooker Dewi Lake has decided his club future is in England away from the Ospreys
Gloucester have made it a double-whammy Monday of star Welsh signings from the Ospreys, as the Gallagher PREM club followed up their unveiling of Jac Morgan by confirming that Dewi Lake has also been recruited.
The Kingsholm club have won just once in six league outings this season, while they were also well beaten at Munster in the Investec Champions Cup on Saturday. However, the current results strife has been overlooked by the Welsh pair, who have signed unspecified-length deals that start with the 2026/27 season.
The 26-year-old Lake said: “I had a really good chat with the Gloucester about their ambitions and how I could play a part in that, and it got me really excited for the challenge ahead.
“I’ve always admired Gloucester for the way they play. I feel like it’s suited to my strengths and the way I like to play the game. The Gallagher PREM is probably the most competitive league in the world, and I feel like I’m at a good stage in my career to take the opportunity with both hands.”
“A lot of time thinking…”
He added: “The Ospreys is a club that means a lot to me on so many different levels, so deciding to move was something that I spent a lot of time thinking over. My whole career to this point has been with this team, and there have been so many special moments on the way.
“Coming through the pathway, making my debut, the first time I captained the side and the friendships I’ve forged with players and staff will all live long in my memory for the rest of my life.
“There’s still a lot of rugby to be played this season, and whilst I’m looking forward to testing myself in a new environment, I and the rest of the squad are fully focused on achieving something special this season.”
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Delighted to officially confirm the arrival of Lake on the same morning that the signing of Morgan was made public, Gloucester boss George Skivington said: “Dewi is the epitome of a modern-day hooker, dominant at set piece and industrious around the park.
“He’s a gritty and abrasive player, and I know that’s what fans like to see in a Gloucester player. They will take to Dewi really quickly. With Dewi and Jac coming in, we have significantly bolstered our pack, adding to the talent that is already here, and we are shaping up nicely for the start of the 2026/27 season.”
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Ospreys boss Mark Jones added: “Dewi is an incredible professional and has emerged as a key member of our leadership group in recent seasons. His contributions will be missed both on and off the field. Similarly to Jac, the club put in a lot of hard work to try and keep Dewi, but this became increasingly difficult with the current landscape and uncertainty in Welsh rugby.
“He has always represented both the Ospreys jersey and Welsh jersey with immense pride and is a fine example of the quality produced by our pathway.
“Looking forward, we still have some excellent strength in depth in the position, with an experienced international in Sam Parry, and two emerging hookers that we have high hopes for in Efan and Lewis.”