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Dewi Lake says leaving the Ospreys is tough but he had little choice given the ongoing uncertainty in Welsh rugby
Wales and Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake says the uncertainty in Welsh rugby was a major reason behind his decision to join Gloucester.
Both Lake and Jac Morgan will join the Kingsholm club next season, with Lake explaining his decision on the SportIn Wales podcast. The loss of Wales’ two leading players is a major blow to the region and the Welsh Rugby Union, with fans understanding of their decisions given the backdrop.
“It wasn’t an easy decision,” Lake said.
“When you factor in the things that are going on off the field at the minute and the lack of clarity in whether we’re going to be a region next year, there’s not much stability there at the moment. It’s tough to leave but ultimately, you’ve got to secure a contract and your future.”
He added; “It was probably ongoing really from when that announcement first came from the WRU about looking to cut team from four to three
“Then the added news that we’re probably looking at one of Ospreys or Scarlets being the ones battling it out to stay. We probably haven’t had much news or development in terms of what’s happening since then. It’s a tough spot to be in.
“Jac [Morgan] maybe feels that way as well, but I can only speak for myself with what’s going on. We’ve had little discussions and conversations around trying to stay, but the uncertainty of it all still hangs over you.”
Lake added that his contract negotiations had been more with the Ospreys than the Welsh Rugby Union.
“They’re [Ospreys] not really sure about what kind of position they’re going to be in next year either,” said Lake. “I know it was very tough for them to be able to put contracts on the table with everything that is going on.
“It’s not an easy decision, but it’s one that I feel I’ve got to take.”
He added: “It was a tough decision because you never want to leave the club you started out at.
“The staff and the boys are always the toughest things to leave. We’ve got a good group of boys that I’ve been with since I came through.
“The coaches as well, a lot of them were my coaches at Under-18 level.
“That’s the hard bit to leave. The people that you form good bonds and friendships with. The fans as well have been class over the years, too.”
The Welsh Rugby Union is hoping to reach a consensus on how to get down to three teams by the end of the year, but that still seems unlikely.
A tender process will begin in the New Year if no deal can be struck.
